Picture Perfect
by Erk Mizuhara
Summary: A little love story between Erk and Nino. I've never written romance or anything like this before, so please read and review nicely. Some mild language.
1. Chapter 1

Picture Perfect

**Picture Perfect**

**Prologue**

"Err... Nino, was it? I'm sorry, but could you please leave me to read?"

"Oh! I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt! Forgive me!"

-

"It's a picture book. My teacher gave it to me when I was little."

"Oh, so you weren't very good at reading, either?"

"No, quite the opposite. I only read the most difficult books from an early age."

-

It still surprised Erk, how quickly he had agreed to teach Nino. Thinking about it now, he should have recomended Lord Pent or Lady Louise, as they would have been much better. However, Nino was stuck on him, of all people, as her teacher.

**Chapter 1: I Will Improve**

Erk idly read the parchment Nino had handed him. This had been her 'homework' assignment. Reading it made Erk feel ill; the writing was so sloppy and poorly done, that he felt it was a crime to call it writing. The only reason Erk knew what the text was about was because he had told Nino what to write about. He was sat on his bed, in his room, in nothing but a dressing gown. Nino had thumped quite violently on the door, and barged in. Erk's hair was still wet from his bath, yet still Nino insisted he read her homework.

"Well?" The young green-haired Mage asked, eyes and voice full of hope.

"It's uh... you're improving." Erk replied. It was true enough. Nino was indeed improving, but not by much. Not as much as Erk had expected, at least.

"Really?" Nino gasped. "You mean you can read it now??" She leaned closer to him, sapphire eyes sparkling.

"Kinda..." Erk said honestly. "I can get a general idea, at least."

"Oh." She sounded disappointed. She had been at Castle Reglais for almost two months now. She learned quickly how to manoeuvre her fingers to move the quill across the parchment with some pattern, but as of yet had failed to make a clear word. She had some skill in drawing, though. This much was clear to Erk, as Nino had scribbled many doodles all over the parchment. "I did try, though." She said, almost sulkily. She stood upright again, though she her frame now slumped.

"I'm sure you did, Nino." Erk said. He hoped to sound reassuring, or believing, but due to his tiredness and slight irritation at being unceremoniously interrupted, it sounded the exact opposite.

"I'm sorry. I'll do better next time." Nino promised, staring at her feet. Tears formed at the corners of her eyes.

"Nino..." Erk sighed. "Go to your room, and write a sentence for me. I wa-"

"What should I write?" Nino asked, perking up instantly. She was eager for a chance to prove herself.

"Write 'I will improve'." Erk said. "Here." He grabbed a scrap of parchment, and a quill. He dipped the quill in ink, and wrote. "Read that.'

"I... w...w-will... immm...imm...prr... proh...?"

"I will improve. It says I will improve." He sounded like he had lost his patience.

"R-right."

"I want you to write 'I will improve'. You already know the alphabet, so the letters shouldn't be a problem. Write it over and over until it looks something like that, okay?" He pointed to the scrap. "If it looks like that, then I'll be able to read it, and..."

"Will I get something special?" She smiled.

"Sure. Something special."

"Ooh ooh! Like what?"

"I'll think of something. Off you go and practise, Nino."

"Yessir!" With that, Nino dashed from the room. Erk closed the door a moment later, then laid on his bed. He had been through some heavy training with Lord Pent today, and it had been exhausting. Plus, Nino's hyperactivity drained him. Before he knew it, he was asleep.

--

Erk awoke with a fear of dread. He had promised himself he would read at least two more chapters of 'Practical Applications of Anima Magic: Volume VI' before he slept. He had failed. Not a good start to the day. He had a feeling that it wouldn't get any better. Lazily, Erk brushed his long purple hair and dressed himself. He wore what had now become his usual gear: long black jeans, a plain black (sometimes white. Well, usually white) t-shirt, and a black shirt with an image of a dragon on it. He tugged on his boots, the same boots he had worn when he fought alongside Lady Lyndis, Lord Eliwood, and Lord Hector. It seemed a lifetime ago. Opening his wardrobe, Erk stared at the short brown jeans, blue tunic and red cloak. It was such a short time ago, yet a lifetime of memories since then. Erk had enjoyed his time with the Lady and Lords, even though his life was on the line day and night. Now, he found his time at Lord Pent's castle was more pleasant than his previous stay, yet he could not explain why. Erk sighed, closing his wardrobe. He put on the pendant Lady Louise had bought him, the bracelet that Lord Pent had given him, then exited his bedroom.

-

Erk sat down in the dining hall, along with Pent and Louise, ready for breakfast. Four waiters appeared from the kitchen, bearing trays of food. Three of them set their trays down in front of Erk, Pent and Nino. The fourth waiter, however, stood by the table looking confused.

"Where is Lady Nino?" He asked.

"Hm?" Lady Louise looked at Erk. "Do you know where she is, Erk?"

"She's probably still in her room." Erk replied, picking up a fork. "I gave her some homework last night. She probably stayed up late, trying to get it right. She'll still be asleep."

"Leave the tray in front of her seat." Louise instructed the waiter, who nodded, obeyed, then left. "Well, I suppose we'll have to start without her. It's a shame to let good food go cold."

"Indeed." Lord Pent agreed. "Let's eat." The three did so. "By the way, Erk. What homework did you give Nino, precisely?"

"I had her write down a sentence a few times." Erk said.

"What sentence?" Louise asked.

"I will improve. I thought that writing it might inspire her more."

"Not a bad idea." Pent said approvingly. "How many times did you tell her to write it?"

"Hm?" Erk held a finger up while he finished chewing his food. "How many times? I told her to... oh, SHIT!" His fork fell to the floor with a clatter as he leapt to his feet and dashed from the dining hall.

"I told you today would be a rushed day." Louise said to Pent, continuing her breakfast.

"You did say that, sweetheart." Pent agreed, doing the same.

-

Erk skidded to a halt at Nino's bedroom door, and whacked it twice with his fist.

"Come in..." A feeble voice said from inside. Erk opened the door, and saw Nino at her desk, several pieces of parchment on the floor around her seat. "Oh... hello, Erk..." She said blearily, turning to face him. Her eyes were almost completely red, and she had heavy black lines beneath them.

"Nino, what... did you...?"

"Does this look good?" She held up the parchment she had been writing on. There were no words on it, only lines that could have been letters. Nino was clearly very tired. "I tried. I stayed up all night, and-"

"All night??" Erk gasped.

"Yeah..." Nino yawned. "You told me to write it over and over until it looked like yours..." She dropped a hand on the scrap Erk had written on. "But I can't do it." Tears sparkled in her bloodshot eyes. "I tried so, so hard, but I still can't..." She sobbed.

"Nino, you silly, silly, girl." Erk sighed, closing the door and walking to her. "Of course you can't. Look at you, you're a wreck."

"B-but..."

"No buts. If you're tired, then of course you won't be able to do it." He grabbed her arm, and pulled her to her feet. "Now, get some sleep."

"But, I still haven't..." She feebly waved an arm at her desk.

"Sleep, Nino. You'll never get anywhere if you don't rest properly." He guided Nino to her bed, and laid her down gently. "Get some sleep, and I'll go to the kitchens and ask them to prepare a light meal for this afternoon, okay? I'll come and wake you later."

" 'kay..." Nino mumbled, half-asleep. " 'night."

"Goodnight." Erk replied, leaving her room. He closed the door gently, then sighed. How could he have not seen that one coming? Nino was so desperate to prove herself, to anyone, that she'd stay up all night long in order to get something right. Erk thumped his head against the wall a few times, then walked to the kitchens again. He cursed himself for his stupidity the whole way.

-

"Nino won't be joining us for breakfast." He told Pent and Louise. "She's sleeping in. I asked the chefs to prepare a light meal when I call for it." He sat himself down, picking up a clean fork that had been left on the table by a waiter.

"So, she stayed up late?" Pent asked him.

"Uh... yeah, like that." Erk replied, shovelling food into his mouth. Pent and Louise stared at him for a short while, then grinned to each other.

"Is she anything like you were as a young student?" Pent asked. Erk simply nodded, his mouth too full for him to speak. After a few moments, he swallowed the food, then threw his fork on the table.

"I'm not hungry." He declared with a heavy sigh, and left the dining hall. Pent and Louise stared after him for a moment, then sighed.

"That's unusual." Louise said.

"But not unheard of." Pent told her. "Though, it doesn't bode well. When the last time he didn't eat his breakfast?"

"The day he had to take Serra to Ostia."

"Ah, yes. And before that, it was when he was moving into a new room. He seems to lose his appetite when he's nervous, upset, or worried."

"So, which is it?" Louise pondered.

"Considering the sigh, I'd say he's worried."

"About Nino?" Louise giggled. "He's so cute sometimes."

--

That afternoon, at around 3pm, Erk knocked on Nino's door. She didn't invite him in, so Erk assumed she was still asleep. Quietly, he opened the door a little, and peered inside. Nino was still asleep, snoozing softly. Erk sighed, and walked in, closing the door behind him. He sat on the edge of the bed, and brushed Nino's hair from her face. Erk then discovered that Nino was a light sleeper, as even that gentle touch woke her up.

"Mmm...?" She stretched, yawned, then rubbed her eyes. "Yes?" She looked at Erk, her eyes only half-open.

"It's time to wake up, Nino." Erk told her. "You need to eat."

"Unhh..." She yawned again. " 'kay." She said sleepily, slowly pulling herself to an upright position.

"D'you want me to wait outside while you get changed?"

"Please."

"Alright. See you in a minute."

"Mm." Nino yawned widely. Erk walked out of her room, and waited. A few moments later, a soft thump alerted him, and he peeked inside again. Nino had collapsed onto the floor, asleep again. Erk sighed.

"Still a child." He muttered. "Needs a proper sleep pattern." He walked inside, firmly closing the door behind him. He picked up Nino, who was in her underwear, and carried to her bed. He then laid her down, and tucked her in. He sat himself at her desk, picking up the parchments that lay scattered around the chair. He leafed through them, surprised at how much she had written. Even more surprising, some of it was almost legible. "She really did try her best..." Erk breathed. "Now I've got to think of something special for her." He sat in the chair, wondering what treat he could give her.

-

A few hours later, Erk found himself being gently shaken by the shoulder. Opening his eyes, Erk realised he had fallen asleep. He looked over his shoulder, and saw Nino, fully dressed, smiling gently at him.

"You fell asleep." She murmured.

"It would seem so." Erk replied, stretching and yawning mutely. "Sorry. I shouldn't have stayed in your room. That was rude of me."

"No, it's okay. Were you looking at my writing?"

"Yeah. Some o-"

"Is it good?" She squeaked, eyes filling with hope.

"Well, I'll be honest. It's not very close to mine." Erk said, glancing at the parchment. Behind him, he felt Nino's mood dampen. "But it's better than I thought it'd be."

"Really?" Her voice soared. "D-do I get a treat?"

"As soon as I think of one." Erk told her, smiling.

"Oh! YAY!" She hugged him from behind, crushing her face against his. "So, what's it gonna be?" She asked, still with her cheek embedded in Erk's.

"Like I said, I need to think about it. I haven't been able to come up with anything good, yet." He moved Nino's arms, and stood up. "But first, we need to eat." He walked over to the door.

"Yeah, food." Nino agreed. "I'm hungry." She followed him out of the door, and the pair walked toward the dining hall. "Say, Erk?" She asked as they started walking

"Yeah?"

"There's lots of people in the castle, right?"

"Yeah."

"We always eat in that big room with the big table, but where does everyone else eat?"

"There's another dining hall. The servants, teachers and students eat there. Lord Pent, Lady Louise, and any one else they invite eat in the other hall."

"Oh, wow. So we're, like, special?"

"You could say that."

"Wow..." Nino said softly. Erk heard a sniff. He stopped, and looked back at her. She was crying lightly.

"I-is something wrong?"

"I... I never thought I'd be... sp-special. I mean... only me and y-you can eat in the b-big hall, right?"

"Uh... yeah. We're Lord Pent and Lady Louise's honoured students."

"Ho-honoured??" Nino gasped, the tears flowing faster. "I-I'm... honoured?"

"Well, yeah. Haven't I already told you what a great Mage you are?"

"Y-yes, but..." She sobbed again, rubbing her eyes on her sleeve.

"You didn't believe me?" Erk asked, tired of Nino's pessimism.

"N-no!" She snapped. "I-I mean yes. I, uh... I mean." Erk sighed.

"Relax, it's okay. Come on, let's eat."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Star-lit Ceiling

**Chapter 2: Star-lit Ceiling**

Nino and Erk sat quietly in the great dining hall, eating their small meal. Erk could feel Nino glancing up at him throughout the course of the meal, clearly wondering when he was going to tell her what her treat was. She finished her meal, placed her knife and fork on the table, either side of her plate, both facing forward, running parallel to each other. She then sat and stared at Erk while he slowly ate his own meal. Looking at his eyes, Nino could tell that he was thinking. This made her happy. He was trying to think of good treat for her. She felt so proud that she done some work good enough for Erk to want to treat her. She sat patiently, though she fidgeted on occasion, eager to find out what her treat would be. Erk set his fork on the table, arranging it and his knife the same way as Nino's. She stared attentively at hm.

"I've decided." He announced after a few moments.

"You have? Wh-what is it? What's my treat?" She clenched her seat, anticipation building. Erk wiped his mouth with a napkin, put it down, and stared at her.

"Follow me." He stood up, and walked toward the door. Nino leapt to her feet, and followed him.

-

Erk led her to a large staircase spiralling downwards . Nino wondered what was down there. She had never asked, but assumed that it was the dungeon. Why would Erk be taking her there? A sudden panic flared. Maybe he was angry at her, and he was going to lock her up? Because she was no good at writing, and Erk was tired of it? Would she be made to practise all day, every day, without sleep? She opened her mouth to question Erk, but decided against it. She followed him into the dark depths of the castle's basement. She gasped and froze when Erk cast a Fire spell. He held it in his hand, and glanced around the gloomy corridors for a moment, then walked to the right. Nino followed, now more nervous than before. They walked for a few minutes, Nino constantly looking around. She didn't see any dungeons or torture rooms or cages. Just lots and lots of corridor. A very long corridor. Erk stopped suddenly, and Nino, who hadn't noticed, walked into him.

"I-I'm sorry!" She gasped. Erk looked at her from the corner of his eye.

"Just stay there a minute." He said.

"W-why?"

"Just stay." He repeated. "Don't worry, you'll see what your treat is soon." Nino felt fear building. The corridors were pitch-black, and the ball of Fire illuminated Erk's face in a sinister fashion. He started to walk away.

"D-don't leave me!" Nino gasped.

"Relax, I'm not going to." He assured her. "Let's see..." He walked forward five paces. "One, two, three, four, five. And then..." He turned to his right, and started counting bricks. "Seven... eight... twelve... fourte- there." He pushed one of the bricks. Suddenly, the entire wall slid to one side. "In here, Nino." Swallowing nervously, a lump in her throat, Nino walked into the room. It was just as dark as the corridors. Erk followed, and the wall slid back into place. Nino almost shrieked as it shut with a thud. "Now..." Erk looked around the room, then over to a red orb on a pedestal. He touched it with the palm of his hand, and the room lit. It was almost empty, save for a bed, two sofas, a table, and some book shelves. The room itself looked like some sort of underground cave. Crystals hung in brackets on the walls, varying in colour.

"Wh... what is this place?" Nino breathed.

"It's my private place." Erk told her, extinguishing his Fire. "Lord Pent showed me this room a few years ago. It's where I come to be alone, and think. Or relax." He smiled softly at Nino. "Go lay down on the bed." He told her, pointing to the bed in the centre of the room.

"Huh? B-but..." Nino felt her fear rising again.

"Go on. Just lay down. Don't worry about anything." Erk assured her. As he spoke, he was looking around the room again. Nino walked over to, and laid on, the bed. She stared up at the ceiling of the cave-room. "It is..." He sighed. "Purple, of course." He walked over toward the purple crystal.

"What does the purple one do?" Nino asked, sitting up.

"Just lay down, and looked at the ceiling." Erk told her. Nino sighed, but obeyed. A moment later, the room darkened to a purple-ish colour. Then, to Nino's surprise and delight, bright white dots appeared all over the ceiling, shimmering like stars.

"Wow!" She gasped. "It's..." She was lost for words.

"Beautiful?" Erk offered from her side. She looked at him, and he laid down next to her. "I used to come here alot. Like I told you, Lord Pent showed me this room a while ago. He told me that everytime I did well in lessons, I could come here for a few hours. It didn't seem like much, but I still came. Eventually, I fell in love with this room. It has a way of just... soothing your soul." He smiled widely. Nino smiled back. Erk had never smiled like that before.

"Yeah, it does." Nino agreed. The 'stars' shone on Erk's face, making him appear more gentle than he had seemed before. Sighing happily, Nino looked back up at the ceiling. She snuggled up to Erk, who awkwardly put his arm under her, and gripped her shoulder gently. "Thank you, Erk."

"You're welcome. Of course, you can come here again if you want."

"Really?"

"Of course. If you do well in lessons." He grinned to himself. He knew that this would be more than enough incentive.

"Aww..." Nino groaned. "Okay."

"You need a bracelet to get in here." He told her. He held up his left hand, which was adorned with a pretty bracelet. "I have two; Lord Pent gave me his, saying he'd never use it. When you do well in lessons, I'll give you the other bracelet. You'll have to give it back the next day, though. And don't neglect your homework."

"I won't." Nino assured him, then giggled. Even in this room, where he came to relax, Erk still sounded stern and serious. "I promise to do better."

"I'm sure you will." And this time, Erk actually sounded reassuring and believing. Nino smiled wider, and closed her eyes.

--

A while later, Nino was jolted awake by Erk tugging his arm out from underneath her. She looked at her teacher, who was now stood beside the bed, smoothing down his clothes. The ceiling was still star-lit.

"We fell asleep." He told her. "I've been sleeping more lately, which is annoying. C'mon, let's go back upstairs and get on with your next lesson." He walked over to, and touched, the red orb.

"Awww..." Nino moaned. The night-sky faded, and was replaced with dull rocks. "Fine, fine." She grumbled, hauling herself from the bed. Erk walked to the wall, and waited for her to trudge over.

"It's this brick right here." He pointed. "Opens it from either side. Fourteen up, twelve in from the line." He pointed to a white chalk line. "Of course, it only opens with the bracelet." He thought for a moment. "Oh yeah. Each of the crystals make a different... aura, shall we say? For lack of a better word. Next time you come here, try them out."

"I will." She agreed.

"They're all beautiful in their own way. Each one seems to match a certain mood."

"Why're there two blues? There's a light one and a dark one." She pointed to the two blue crystals.

"You'll find out next time you come here."

"I have to wait that long?"

"It might not be a long time, Nino. It all depends on how well you do."

-

"Where were you two?" Pent asked as they crossed the main hall to Erk's room.

"We were, uh..." Erk paused, and looked out the window.

"You missed two lessons, Erk. That's not like you."

"I... I'm so sorry, Lord Pent. I was... I showed Nino my favourite place, and-"

"Oh? No doubt you fell asleep. You always do in there." Pent grinned, and Erk blushed. "Well, I'll let it slide. You and Nino have your writing lesson now, right?"

"Yup. Nino already knows the alphabet, so she's just learning how to spell and write properly."

"Alright, then. I'll bring the plans for the two lessons you missed to your room later. Make sure you go through them, and do what they say."

"Yes, Sir." Erk said, feeling miserable. He hadn't missed a single lesson in-

"Y'know, it's been six years since the last time you missed a lesson." Pent said, grinning again. "And when you did then, it was because-"

"Shut up!" Erk snapped, then gasped. "I-I'm sorry, Lord Pent... I, uh... I..."

"It's... alright. I shouldn't have brought it up. Sorry."

"We should... go to our lesson now. Good evening, Lord Pent." He quickly walked to his room, and Nino followed him a moment later.

--

That evening, Nino was still in Erk's room. He had allowed her to stay in his room until he came back. He had gone to give himself the lessons he had missed with Lord Pent. Nino was sure her handwriting was improving, as some parts were closer to Erk's writing than before. She knew it was still nothing like it, but closer. She felt a surge of pride, and carried on writing with renewed enthusiasm.

-

Later on, Erk still hadn't returned, and Nino was bored of working, and bored of Erk not being around. So, she decided to look around Erk's room for something to do. Though his desk and room floor were clean and neat, the cupboard she opened was a different story. Two of the books tumbled from the middle shelf, and the rest were strewn about the shelves like someone had shaken the cupboard, pushed it over, picked it up, then flipped it over in the air. One book caught her attention. It was by far the largest of them all, and had a rather ornate cover. She removed the book from atop the pile it was on, and carried it over to the bed. She opened it, and was surprised at what she saw.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Erk's Diary

**Chapter 3: Erk's Diary**

Day 16

The weather is warm, sky clear.

Four days after moving into my new room. I can finally see my floor. And my bed. My desk is arranged as it should be, which was the first thing I made sure of. My cupboards, however, are a different. They look like someone's shaken them, pushed them over, picked them up, then flipped them over in the air. Maybe I'll sort that some day. Maybe not.

The other students here are still jealous that I'm Lord Pent's apprentice. Ha! They can shove it. That'll do for today. Gonna go read.

Erk

-

Nino was shocked. She had found Erk's diary! He seemed to be a different person in here. She wanted to read more, but knew she was invading Erk's privacy. She glance at the door, and listened for footsteps. Nothing. She skipped forward several pages, and read again.

-

Day 32

The weather? Usual.

In less than a week (6 days) I have to escort a priestess to Ostia. Apparently, she's frail and needs taking care of. Guess I'd better be careful around her. I suck at talking to girls (or anyone). I should at least be polite and try to keep my temper (good luck with that).

Maybe one of these days, I'll finally be able to cast Elfire properly. I'm so lame. The other students are laughing because they're all better than me. Only Ella is being nice about it (bless her), and even trying to help me. She's so nice to me.

I'm writing such short entries lately. Maybe my brain's fried? Nah. Well, I'll write again tomorrow.

Erk

-

Nino grimaced. Erk had a girl he liked? And who was this frail priestess? Intrigued, Nino skipped a few pages.

Day 42

The weather... I'm too busy being annoyed to notice. Might be raining, might be snowing.

Yeah, raining. I noticed after all.

It's only been a couple of days since I started escorting the Devil's Daughter to Ostia, and already I'm considering giving her the money back and leaving the witch out here alone. How she fooled everyone into thinking she's frail is beyond me. Even the most psychopathic murderer would be crying for his mommy after spending five minutes with her. Where's Ella when I need her?

-

Nino stopped there. This girl, Ella, again. Did Erk like her that much? Was Ella still here? Was that why Erk was taking so long? Nino glanced to the door, but there was still no activity outside.

-

Day 50

The weather isn't bad. Shame about my company.

Serra almost got herself killed. It wouldn't have been so bad, except she hid behind me, so _**I**_ almost killed instead. Stupid woman. Then, she ordered me to join a rabble of complete strangers to help them kill all the bandits nearby! And _**then**_ she decided we were going to go with them on their journey! Hello? Going to Ostia, remember?? Idiot.

I'm too mad to write any more.

Erk

-

Serra? The cleric? Sure, she could be annoying at times, but was she really as bad as Erk described? Nino skipped a few more pages.

Day... whatever.

The weather? Well, it's sunny, but the water spraying makes it feel like raining.

Yes, we're on a boat. We're going to the Dread Isle, of all places. I don't think Lyndis, Eliwood and Hector realise that the Dread Isle has its name for a reason. NO-ONE COMES BACK. Freaks. Well, Her Infernal Stupidness insisted that we go, too. Guy's vomiting is making me feel ill. Nils is singing and dancing like a lunatic, and Lyndis is watching him like a mother watching a child. She thinks he's so cute. Honestly, how can that brat be cute? Well, whatever. A small boat has been spotted, and they're bringing someone aboard off it. It's a girl who looks like

Oh, it _**is**_ Nil's sister. Obviously, Lyndis was all over her. I have to go fetch Serra and Priscilla (a much better employer than Serra ever could be) to heal the girl's wounds. Write again tomorrow.

Erk

-

Nino sighed, and checked the door again. Still nothing. Erk clearly didn't like the people he was with, except maybe Priscilla. As Nino recalled, Priscilla rode a big horse, had red hair, was cute, and very very nice. Did Erk like this girl, too? She skipped some more pages.

-

I've given up counting the days. It only makes me realise how long I've been stuck with Stupid and Annoying.

Weather's not bad.

We're in Lord Eliwoof's castle. Eliwoof. Nice. Well, everyone insisted on staying here, me included. It's nice to have a room and soft bed again. I may be sharing with two other people, but it's not bad. Lucius may annoy me, but I can't dislike the guy. If he's a guy. Hard to tell sometimes. Sissy-man. Yesterday he freaked out when he broke a nail, then threw fit because his hair 'wouldn't go'. My other room-mate is the tactician. She's probably my favourite person out of them all. Yes, I'm sharing a room with a girl and a...

Oddly, our tactician is the only girl I can talk to. Besides Stupid and Rebecca, but that's only to tell them to get lost. I don't mind Rebecca, but she's always with Stupid. Annoying has been bugging me alot, too. Keeps asking me to show him some magic. I send him to Lucius. He seems to enjoying playing with children.

Oh, I'm done. I think I'll enjoy my nice, soft bed. Here I come, my love.

Erk.

-

I've already said I'm gonna stop counting.

Not bad weather, actually.

There's another mage with us! A girl! I think I might just die. No doubt I'm gonna be with her alot, helping her and stuff (please ask Lord Pent to do it). I _**really**_ can't talk to girls. And she's such a sweet and innocent girl, too. And so talented! Really, even Lord Pent looks average compared to her. She's cute, too. That short green hair of hers just shows off her cuteness more.

-

Nino gasped. Was this her Erk was talking about? Did he think she was cute? She read on.

-

There's only one problem. Jaffar. That guy chills me to the bone, and he's super-mega-protective of Nino. Even more worry if we're paired. If I upset her, Jaffar's gonna kill me.

I'm scared.

Erk

-

Nino stared at the page, dumbstruck. Though she still had trouble reading, she managed to read the 'super-mega-protective' part. Had Jaffar really been so protective?

-

Weather's pretty good. Not like my mood.

I did it. Tried not to, but I did. I upset Nino. Curse me! All she did was try to show an interest in what I was doing, and I had to shoo her away. I'm such a moron. Right now I'm hiding, in case Jaffar is after me. Though he'll probably find me anyway. Rebecca and Serra gave me an earful, as did the tactician. Getting told off by the tactician was the worst part. I like her.

Where's Ella when I need her? I miss her so much.

I should apologise to Nino, too. I like her, too. She's so cute and nice. But, what should I say? If I can say anyting at all. I know. I'll give her the book I was reading at the time. She wanted to read it, so I should give it to her.

I'll do that tomorrow.

Erk

-

Nino remembered this. Erk had sounded so rude at the time, and Nino had been very upset. Rebecca and Serra had tried to comfort her, as had Jaffar, and they all promised to have a word with Erk. Nino turned the page.

-

Good weather.

I gave the Nino the book. Guess what? She can't read. Just my luck. My apology gift is useless. I'm going to find the picture book Lord Pent gave me. I'll give that to her. Maybe even tell her the story behind it, if my courage is up to the challenge. I hope it is. I really like Nino. Maybe I can drag her away from Jaffar, and take her home with me.

...

...

...

Hey, a guy's gotta dream.

-

Nino snapped the book closed. Not only because she could hear footsteps outside, but because of what she had just read. Erk really _did_ like her! This made her happy. But, what about Ella? Or the tactician? Or Priscilla? Erk liked these girls, too. She quickly put the book back, then returned to Erk's desk. At that moment, Erk walked in, looking tired.

"Leave." He grumbled. His eyes were red, face sagging. He flopped onto his bed, and felt straight asleep. Nino stifled a giggle, and stacked her parchment into a neat pile. She then pulled Erk's boots and cloak off, then laid him down on the bed. Considering their differences in size, this was quite a challenge. Nino quietly walked out of the room, and quietly closed the door. It wasn't particularly late, so Nino went to see Lady Louise.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Erk's Tragedy

**Chapter 4: Erk's Tragedy**

"Lady Louise?" Nino called as she knocked on the door.

"Just a minute." Lord Pent's voice sounded. A moment later, Lord Pent opened the door. "Can I help you, Nino?" He asked, looking somewhat confused.

"I, uh... talk about Erk?" She squeaked. All of a sudden she wasn't sure if she wanted to talk about it.

"Sure, come on in." He let her inside. Lady Louise was sat at their ornate desk.

"Something wrong with Erk?" Lady Louise asked.

"I think... he has a girl he likes." Nino mumbled. Lady Louise let out what was clearly an involuntary laugh. Nino frowned slightly. "Who is... Ella?" At the mention of the name, the room went deathly silent. The air became so heavy that even water would have been crushed. "Did I say something bad?" Nino asked, worried.

"Ella is..." Lord Pent sighed. "We prefer not to talk about it. But I suppose..."

"She likes Erk, Pent." Lady Louise told her husband. "And he likes her, too. I think we should tell her."

"H-he likes me?" Nino gasped.

"Of course, dear." Lady Louise grinned. "He doesn't normally keep people near him. You and Ella are the only people he's ever been close to."

"Who is Ella?" Nino was eager to know, but she wasn't sure why.

"Ella was..." Pent frowned. "Well, she used Light magic. She and Erk got along really well."

"That's not entirely accurate, dear." Louise said to him. "They were infatuated with each other." She sighed, her expression saddening. "It was love. Couldn't have been anything else."

"Oh." Nino sighed. "So, where is..." She stopped at the expressions on Pent and Louise's faces. "Uh..."

"Ella died." Pent mumbled. "We sent her Wandering six years ago. I knew it was too early, but she was an exceptional magic user, and Monks and Priestesses are supposed to Wander early." He sat down, wringing his hands. "She earned a name for herself pretty quickly, even though she was only a teenager. But, her reputation was too big. She was hunted and killed. So we were told, but they never found her body." Nino gasped and blanched at this.

"Do you... know who did it?" She managed to ask, then regretted it. It was insensitive. Pent and Louise stared at her with pained expressions.

"The Black Fang." Pent sighed. Nino shuddered, and felt horrified. Her father's group had killed Erk's love!

"I'm... I'm so sorry." She whispered.

"It's alright. You didn't kill her." Pent told the girl. Nino still felt bad. How did Erk feel, teaching someone from the people who killed his first love? Being with one of the people all the time? It must be painful for him.

"B-but still..."

"But nothing." Louise asserted. "It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself for it."

"I was with the Black Fang, though! Why is Erk being so nice to me when I-"

"Because you are nothing like the rest of them." Pent cut in. "He knows that you didn't kill Ella. He likes you, Nino. Don't mention Ella to him, though."

"Erk was so crushed when he heard." Louise said sadly. "He didn't think he could cope without Ella. A couple of weeks after, he buried himself in his studies. He did nothing else. Did he tell about the picture book?" Nino nodded. "Okay. He collapsed because he hardly ate or slept. Just studied almost non-stopped. He tried so, so hard to take his mind off Ella." She had started crying. Nino was crying, too.

"I'm sorry I asked." Nino sobbed. "I shouldn't have-"

"We needed to talk about it." Pent said, clearly fighting back tears. "And some day, Erk will, too. Will you listen when he does?"

"Of-of course." Nino assured him.

"Don't try to replace Ella, though." Pent warned the young Mage. "You can't, and Erk will know that you're trying to. Just keep being yourself."

"Alright."

"You should get to bed." Pent said, walking to and opening the door. "Please don't mention any of this to Erk."

"I won't." Nino walked out, feeling miserble. She wished she'd never asked about Ella. She slowly made her way to her room.

-

The next day, a loud banging woke Nino up. Followed by a girlish scream. Nino wondered what was happening, that would make someone scream in this place.

"Probably a magic accident..." Nino grumbled, rubbing her eyes. The scream sounded again, making Nino jolt into a seated position. Then, there was shouting. Nino couldn't distinguish any words, but a girl was yelling. Then a pounding of feet. Someone was running, and someone was following them.

"Get back here!" The voice shot past Nino's bedroom door. Nino yanked the door open, and peered down the corridor. A wisp of pink hair fluttered around the corner.

"Pst. Is she gone?" Erk's voice whispered from somewhere next to Nino.

"E-Erk? Where are-?"

"Down here." Nino looked down, and saw Erk hiding behind the pot plant outside Nino's door. He looked very strange, scrunched up behind the plant, trying not to be seen. "Can I come inside? Quickly, before it comes back."

"S-sure..." Nino stepped in her room, holding the door open. Erk flew inside, then slammed the door closed. "What's going on?" Nino asked Erk.

"Stupid's here." Erk growled. "I don't know why, but for some reason she came here."

"Stupid?" Nino asked, confused.

"_Serra_." Erk said the name with extreme hatred. "The moment she saw me, she started chasing me, declaring her 'undying love' for me." He shuddered.

"L-love?" Nino gasped. Serra loved Erk? Would she take Erk away from-? She shook her head, telling herself to stop thinking like that. Erk was running away from Serra! Clearly he wasn't interested in her love.

"You okay, Nino?" Erk asked her. Nino nodded vigorously, still trying to dispel the foolish thoughts. "R-right." He sighed deeply. "I need to eat, though." He growled, his stomach mimicking him. Nino couldn't help but giggle. "But I'm too scared to go out there."

"Scared? Of Serra? She's only a cleric, Erk." Nino told him. Erk looked at her, a strange smile on his face. He then moved his long hair to one side, showing a large bruise on his neck. "Oh my... who...? Serra did that?"

"Yup. If she could use a proper weapon, she would have been more useful on that great journey we all had." He sighed again, his stomach growling louder. "Oh, I need fooood..." He whined.

"Do... do you want me to fetch you some?" Nino offered.

"Would you? I don't want to make you do that, but I'd be really grateful!" Erk looked relieved.

"I'll do it." Nino said happily. "I'll be about twenty minutes, okay?" She stepped outside.

"Mage-girl!" Serra's voice shattered the calm air. "Uh... Nino! That's it!" Serra flew toward Nino, who took an involuntary step back. "Have you seen Erky?" Serra asked.

"Erky?" Nino almost choked. Serra already had a pet name for him! "No, I haven't. Wasn't he running away from you?"

"Yeah, he was. Playing hard to get. But now I can't find him!" She sighed. "Why won't he accept me? All he ever does is run away."

"I'm... not sure." Nino replied carefully. "Anyway, I'm going to eat. I'm sure Lord Pent would let you join-"

"No! I need to find Erky! I can't be without him!"

"Well... good luck then." She said. Her stomach growled. _Perfect timing._ She thought. "Well, I'm really hungry, so I'm going to go, okay?"

"Fine. If you see Erk, bring him to me, okay?" She walked away.

"Yeah, right." Nino hissed, stomping toward the dining room.

-

"Is something wrong?" Pent asked Nino a short while later.

"Yeah." Nino growled. "_She's_ here."

"You mean Lady Serra?" Pent asked. Nino nodded. "She's here on official business. She is supposed to collect some legal papers, and a few Mages, and escort them back to Ostia."

"She's chasing Erk instead." Nino grimaced at the thought.

"Ah, I see." Pent chuckled. "I didn't think of you as the jealous type."

"I-I'm not jealous!" Nino gasped, leaping to her feet. "It-it's just that Erk doesn't like it, a-and..." She blushed, and sat back down. The door opened, making Pent, Louise and Nino look. Erk was peering inside.

"Stu- I mean, Serra's not here, is she?" He asked.

"No, she's not." Nino told him.

"Oh, good." Erk said, relief evident in his voice. He closed the door, then sat at the table. "I got too hungry to wait any more, so I risked going outside."

"I'm glad you made it okay." Nino said, smiling. Pent and Louise were staring at each other, smiling a little.

"Me too." Erk sighed. "Cooks! My meal!" Erk called.

"Erky!!" Serra's voice screeched from the door.

"Shit!" Erk gasped, scrambling to his feet, knocking the chair over.

"Why d'you keep running away? I love you, Erky! Could you at least _talk_ to me?" She dashed over to him. "I love you more than anything in the whole world! I want to be with you! Please stop running." She grabbed his hands. "Erky, I-"

"Get off him!!" Nino's voice blasted through the air. Nino dashed to Serra, and pulled her roughly away from Erk. "Take a hint, Serra! He's not interested!"

"Don't you dare talk to me like that!" Serra snapped. "I love my Erky, and I want to be with him, and-"

"He doesn't _want you_!!" Nino howled. Pent and Louise continued their meal in silence, watching the debacle unfold. "So just leave him alone!"

"I will do anything it takes to win him over!" Serra screamed. "I won't let you get in my way! You're not even a rival for his affection, so butt out!"

"That'll do." Erk said quietly. "Serra, leave now. We're trying to enjoy a meal."

"Then, could I sit with you?" Serra asked, suddenly sounding sweet and innocent. Erk sighed heavily.

"If Lord Pent says so, I cannot stop you. But I-"

"Can I, Lord Pent?" Serra asked, turning to the Marquess of Reglais.

"I suppose." Pent sighed.

"Yay! Thank you so much!" She sat Erk down on his chair, and sat on his knee. Nino growled with rage. "Bring me a chair!" She snapped to one of the nearby maids. One of them bowed, and left.

"Get. Off. Erk's. Knee!" Nino hissed, each word getting louder and more agressive.

"No." Serra huffed. "This is where a woman belongs. On her man's lap." She wrapped her arms around Erk. "And Erky is my man." She grinned wickedly at Nino, who seethed and scowled. Then, without thinking, or even planning to, Nino grabbed one of Serra's pigtails, and pulled it as hard as she could. Serra screeched in pain, then fell backwards off Erk's knee. "You bitch!" She shouted. "Why'd you do that?"

"Erk doesn't want you!" Nino told her. "Get it through your head!"

"You sound like a broken record." Serra glowered at her. "He needs time to get to like me, that's all."

"He's never liked you, Serra. He's hated you from the start! He-" She stopped when Erk wrapped his arms around her.

"That's enough." He said quietly to Nino. "You're ruining my image of you."

"Erk, I..." Nino blushed.

"Thank you for trying to help me, but I don't like seeing you so violent. Please, calm down." He guided her to her seat, and sat her down.

"E-Erky..." Serra started.

"Serra, what Nino says is true. I don't care for you in that way. You were my employer once, but no more. And you were a rubbish employer, too. Getting us constantly lost, almost getting me killed on several occasions, and commanding me like some sort of slave." He frowned at the memories. "I have no interest in being with you."

"But, Erky... I can change! Honest, I can! If it's for you, I'll do anything!"

"Then leave me be, Serra." Erk sighed. "I'm not going to be your partner. Friends, maybe, but no more than that."

"Is... there someone else?" Serra asked, sounding like she was about to cry. Erk placed a hand on Nino's shoulder. Nino gasped and blushed a bright red, and Serra actually started to cry. "I... I see..." She sobbed. Nino felt a sudden rush of happiness. Erk wanted her!

"I'm sorry, Serra." Erk said quietly. Serra fled from the dining room. The maid who was bringing her chair didn't look to please about having to take it back. Erk sat down in his own chair, and a cook placed a meal in front of him. "Thank you." He said politely.

"Quite a lunch-time show." Louise noted.

"Indeed." Pent agreed. The two were looking at Erk and Nino, glancing back and forth between the two.

"I'm just not ready to be in a relationship right now." Erk said, shrugging. "I'm still trying to get over Ella."

"But..." Nino began. _Why did he put his hand on my shoulder? Was it just to chase Serra off?_

"Sorry, Nino. I didn't mean to put my hand on your shoulder. I'm used to resting my hand on things; tables, chairs and stuff. I meant to put in on the chair, but it landed on your shoulder. I didn't mean to suggest that I was after you." He sighed deeply. "I'm sorry."

"It's... okay.' Nino replied, her sudden elation plummeting into sadness.

I get the feeling I might be going a bit too far with this… please tell me if you think so, too.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Holding On To Moments

**Chapter 5: Holding On To Moments**

Nino didn't leave her room for several days after the event. Serra had quietly carried out her job, and left without a word. Erk had been oddly quiet, too. Pent and Louise were beginning to worry for them all. They sat in their room, discussing what to do.

"First off, I think we need to get Erk and Nino seeing each other outside of lessons." Pent was saying.

"That's an obvious first step." Louise agreed. "Getting them to see each other during their personal time might help."

"Nino's clearly upset about the whole Serra fiasco."

"I think she's more upset about Erk putting a hand on her shoulder when Serra asked if he had someone else. Her hopes got all high, and then Erk said... what he said, and..." Louise sighed. "Nino's upset because she's been rejected, basically."

"And Erk's worried about her." Pent said, nodding. "I'm sure they'll get over this eventually, but it wouldn't hurt if we tried to help, would it?"

"No, dear, it wouldn't." Louise smiled. "So, let's get helping."

--

Nino stood outside the castle gates, with Lady Louise, waiting. What she waiting for, she didn't know; Louise just told her to wait there for a while. Nino sighed, and fidgeted. She felt strange in this new outfit. Louise had told her that she was going to town, and Nino had to come with her. Louise had then yanked Nino's clothes off; her skirt, cloak, tunic, boots, and thrust this new one onto her. Nino's new outfit wasn't entirely different from her old one; she wore tall black boots, a black skirt with red stripes, and a black t-shirt with a red pattern on it. Quite a gothic look, Nino mused. Louise assured her that it looked perfect, and so the two went to the gates. Nino sighed. Whatever were they waiting for? A minute or so later, her question was answered. Pent walked toward them, pulling Erk along behind him.

"Sorry I'm late, darling." Pent said as he neared them. "Erk was being quite resistant."

"It's alright." Louise said, smiling. Nino hid behind her as Erk drew closer. "Now that we're all- Oh, Erk! You look dashing!"

"Thanks..." Erk grumbled.

"He put up quite a fight." Pent chuckled. "Didn't want to wear the outfit." Nino peeked from behind Louise. Erk _did_ look very nice. He was wearing regular-looking black jeans, in contrast to the long baggy pair he usually wore, a plain black t-shirt, and a black hat. "The hat was the main issue." Pent said, grabbing Erk's hand to prevent him from trying to take off the hat for what must have been the twentieth time. "Leave it alone, Erk!" Pent snapped at him.

"I don't like hats..." Erk mumbled. "They're all itchy." He again tried to remove the hat, and was again thwarted by Pent.

"Leave it." Pent warned him. "It looks nice. Try making some sacrifices for your appearance. You'll get used to it." Erk didn't say anything; instead he continued to frown. "Shall we get going?" Pent asked everyone.

"Yes, let's!" Louise replied happily.

"Um..." Nino spoke up. "We're all... going to town?"

"Of course." Pent told her. "I figured my favourite students deserved a break, so I'm taking them to town. That's okay, isn't it?"

"Uh... y-yes." Nino looked away, grabbing Louise's shirt with a hand. Louise and Pent led the children to a horse-drawn carriage nearby, and they all sat inside. Erk and Nino sat opposite each other, and spent the entire ride trying to avoid each other's gaze. Though, they weren't entirely successful. Despite their best efforts, their eyes continued to look at the other. Upon being noticed, they would sharply turn away again. Pent and Louise chuckled at the sight of the pair. It was obvious to the two of them that Erk and Nino cared for each other somewhat, whether or not they admitted it. They hoped that this day out would help the pair of them patch up this obvious rip in their friendship.

-

"Well, here we are." Pent said happily, as the four dismounted. "Well, where are we going first?" He asked the others. Nino hovered as close to Louise as possible, while Erk hovered somewhere a fair distance from the group. "Erk, come over here." Erk grumbled something, then shuffled over, dragging his feet. "Where do you wanna go?"

"Dunno." Erk replied shortly, sounding like a moody teenager. Which, at the time, he was.

"Well..." Pent took a firm hold of Louise's hand. "We're going... this way!" The two ran away as fast as they could.

"Hey!" Erk gasped. Pent and Louise were already out of sight. He glanced nervously at Nino, who looked as surprised as he felt. She looked over to him, then at the ground. "So... what do you wanna do?" Erk asked, sighing.

"I... I don't know." Nino mumbled.

"D'ya wanna stick with me, or shall we go seperate?"

"D-don't leave me alone!" Nino gasped. "I've never been to this town before, I don't wanna get lost!"

"You're sticking with me, then." Erk said, sighing again. "Let's go." He started walking away.

"Wait for me, then!" Nino called, giving chase. She caught up with Erk, and gripped his arm tightly in both hands. "Don't just walk off, Erk."

"Sorry." Erk said, patting one of her hands. "I won't do it again." He looked around at the buildings, wondering what to do. "Got any money on you?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Let's take a look at the market, then." He said, steering her in that direction. "You can always count on a market to have interesting stuff."

-

The pair looked around the market, spending what must have been two hours in there, looking at assorted goods. At first, Erk remained a step behind Nino, watching as she looked at the different items on the different stalls. Eventually, he started talking about the items with her, and pointing out other things she might like. The two started to really enjoy themselves after the first fourty minutes, but Nino's mood was killed by Erk reading a book from one of the stalls for about half an hour. When he finally finished, Nino moaned at him a little, then the two continued to look around the market. After they'd given everything a good look, and bought a couple of items, they went to a nearby bakers'. Erk bought himself and Nino a pasty each, and the two sat by the central statue to eat them.

"Wow." Nino sighed after she had finished her pasty. "That was so much fun!" She grinned happily at Erk. "Thanks for showing me around, Erk!"

"No problem." Erk, who was still eating his pasty, replied.

"But next time, don't spend half an hour reading."

"Hey, gimme a break! I had to wait for you when you were looking at all those girly things! Let me enjoy something, eh?"

"Yeah, but I was only ten minutes! You stood there like a zombie, reading that one book!" Nino glared at him, then giggled. Erk found himself chuckling.

"I wasn't stood like a zombie!" Erk protested, but still laughing.

"You totally were! You were like 'duuhhh'." Nino pulled a ludicrous face, eyes rolled backwards, jaw hanging. "You were totally spaced out. I could've kicked you in the leg, and you wouldn't have noticed."

"Hey, I'm not that bad."

"You're like that _every_ time you read, Erk." Nino told him, prodding his shoulder. "Every. Single. Time." Each word was accompanied by a prod.

"Alright, alright!" Erk said, batting her hand away. "Next time we come to town, I won't read as much!"

"At all!"

"At... what? Now, come on, that's just unfair."

"No it isn't. You seemed to enjoy yourself when you weren't reading. I'm sure you can do it next time, too. Promise. For me?"

"Fine, I promise." Erk smiled. "I'll not read next time we come to town. I'll do what you wanna do, following you on hand and foot like some lost puppy."

"Erk! Not like that! We can do stuff you wanna do, just no reading. Okay?"

"Sure." Erk said, pulling Nino into a one-armed hug.

-

Pent and Louise sat on the second floor of a restaurant, by a window, watching Erk and Nino sat by the central statue.

"Looks like they're getting along already." Pent said, smiling.

"Quicker than I thought they would." Louise told him. "Guess they care about each other more than I thought."

"Think Erk can really go a day without reading?" Pent asked, chuckling.

"If it's for her, I'm sure he could." Lousie sighed as she watched the two talking and laughing, pushing each other playfully. "Erk's still got the hat on." She noted. Pent laughed.

"Maybe he likes it now."

-

"Heyy, you've still got the hat on." Nino pointed out.

"Huh? Wow, guess I forgot about it." Erk said, taking it off. Up in the restaurant window, Pent fell over.

"How come you don't like hats?"

"They itch. Real bad. I'm surprised I forgot I was wearing it, actually. Guess I was having too much fun to notice." He grinned, and Nino giggled a little.

"It looks real nice, though. You should put it back on."

"No, seriously. Hats itch me almost to the point of pain. I hate wearing hats." His grimaced. "But maybe, if you like it so much..." He shrugged.

"Really? You'll wear it for me?" Nino asked. Erk smiled.

"But only if you wear it for a bit first, okay?"

"Sure!" She snatched the hat, and rammed it onto her head. "Like this?" It went surprisingly well with her outfit.

"We totally have to buy another hat like that."

"How come?"

"Well, it looks real good on you. And I want to see you wearing it all the time. But, we can't both wear it at the same time." He explained. Nino pictured herself and Erk, with the hat stretched across both their heads.

"Okay, let's go look for one." She said, chuckling a little. She stood up, and held her hand to Erk. Erk took it, and the pair went in search of another hat for Erk to wear. Nino smiled, gripping Erk's hand tightly. She held this moment in her mind, wishing she could hold his hand forever.

--

Nino laid on her bed in her room, sighing happily as she remembered they day's events. She had completely forgotten why she and Erk had avoided each other for the past few days. Nino giggled, remembering when she and Erk had walked hand-in-hand around town in search for a hat just like the one she was still wearing. She stretched her bare legs, rubbing her bare feet together, and grinned. Today had felt so much like a date, she wished with all her might that it had been. Someday, she promised herself. One day, she would win Erk over, and they would be together. He already liked Nino, so that would make it a little easier to win him over. She could already picture Erk and her, walking around town, holding hands, laughing together, spending time with each other. Sitting by the statue, eating pasties. He would put an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer against his body. He'd move his face closer to hers. Her lips would part, eager to meet his. She'd close her eyes, so she would feel only his lips against hers, and nothing else. She'd enjoy every moment that their lips were together, and she would stroke his face, grip his shirt, his shoulders... Nino snapped out of her reverie, her face glowing a bright red. Her mind had gotten carried away. She smiled like a fool, pressing her hands against her cheeks as they burned brightly.

"If only!" She giggled, kicking her legs excitedly. She stopped suddenly, sighing. It'd take some work. How would she go about winning him over? First, she should improve in her lessons. If she did, then Erk would be happier, and maybe start to like her more. Then, if he let her go the 'special room', she'd take him, and the two could lay on that bed together, staring at the 'auras' that the room created. Maybe that sort of move could bring them closer together? Nino had felt closer to Erk the first time they had gone to the room. Maybe Erk felt the same? Nino decided then that she should ask Lord Pent and Lady Louise for help. She would do whatever it took to win Erk. Nothing would be going to far. Even if she had to... she shook the thought from her head, blushing again. She knew she'd go that far if she had to, but she didn't want to think about it right now. It was too embarrasing. She sat up, and rubbed her ankles and feet. They were a little sore from all the walking she had done. And the running. And jumping. And even a little dancing, when she and Erk snook into a dance hall. Erk had shown a side of himself that Nino had never seen before. In the castle, during their lessons, Erk was a stern and serious mentor. Outside of lessons, during their free time, he was a quiet, withdrawn friend. In the special room, he was a tender, gentle friend. In town, he was a excitable, mischievous friend. In his diary, he was a cheeky, rude, somewhat arrogant boy. So, Nino mused, which was the real Erk? Were they all the real Erk, but he just showed parts of himself? Or were they all masks, to hide his real self? Nino guessed that before the death of Ella, Erk was his real self, and then he hid away. She vowed that she would make Erk show how he really was. Nino stood up, and sat at her desk. If she was to improve in her lessons, she'd better start now, and make a real commitment. She picked up her quill, dipped it in ink, and started writing 'I will improve' over and over. She paused to adjust her hat, smiling to herself and wondering if Erk was still wearing his.

--

Erk sighed, looking at the hat on his desk. He had taken it off because it itched too much. Nino liked that hat, so he wanted to wear it, but it itched too much. Almost to the point of pain, as he had told Nino. He still didn't understand why hats affected him so. It was all hats; caps, smart hats... all of them. They all made his head itch. He put it to one side, then picked up his quill and started writing. He was copying some text from his book; 'Practical Applications of Anima Magic: Volume VI'. He copied text from his books to help him remember it. It had worked, since he could almost recite all of the books he had ever read. The text he was writing now was how to apply Thunder spells to daily life. Next was how to apply it to travelling. It was surprising, what could be done with Thunder. Erk would not have thought of half of those things even if he'd tried. His hat distracted his attention again. Nino liked it so much. Mumbling to himself, he put it on again, and sat still for a few moments. This was all he could tolerate. After a minute or more, the itching started. Erk scratched furiously at his head, annoyed.

"Why do you itch, damn you??" He asked his head, digging his nails in as hard as he could. That hurt, but didn't distract from the itching. Sighing, Erk scratched once more, then put his hand down. What was it about hats? He used to wear them quite often. One hat in particular. Ella had bought it for him, and told him to keep as a 'lucky hat', so he could do well in lessons and exams. Erk leapt to his feet, and raided through his cupboards for the hat in question. It took an hour or so of searching, but he found it. It was a dark blue hat, that somehow suited his hair, and the clothes he used to wear. He smiled sadly at the hat, remembering Ella. He hadn't worn it since the day he found out she was dead. "Oh, Ella..." He sighed. His voice sounded somehow different. It was similar to his usual deep and distant voice, but it had an edge that beckoned people closer. Erk remembered that once he was a fairly popular, well-liked boy. What had happened? "I lost her." He whispered, swapping the hats over. He looked at himself in his mirror. A minute later, the hat didn't itch. "No itch." He mused. "Special hat." He smiled, running his finger along the pattern that Ella had stitched into it. "Very special." He smiled at himself. "Hello, Erk. It's been a long time. Where have you been?" He sighed. "Hiding. Without Ella, I'm nothing. There's no point in me being here. Stay out there, Erk Two. You'll stop us from getting hurt, won't you? Of course I will." He frowned, then shook his head vigorously, yanking the hat off. "Weird." He hissed. "Talking to myself." He slumped back on his desk, and carried on writing.

-

Nino sank to her knees. She was outside Erk's door. She had rushed to show him her writing, which she thought was pretty good. She had heard everything Erk had said. So, Erk _was_ hiding himself. He was afraid of getting close, and losing that person again. He was afraid that he'd be betraying Ella. Nino could understand that. She fought back the tears, got to her feet, then knocked.

"Come on in, Nino." Erk said. Surprised, Nino entered.

"How'd you know it was me?" She asked as she closed the door behind her.

"You have a very distinctive knock. So, what can I do for you?"

"Um... I, ah... tried writing that sentence again." She offered him the parchment.

"Let's see then." He took them, and inspected the writing. He grimaced slightly.

"No good?"

"No. But, it's alot better." He smiled. "Much better. How hard did you try?"

"Very, very hard!" Nino told him. "Really hard."

"Here." He handed Nino a bracelet. "You can enjoy the Aura Room for a day."

"Uhm... d-d'you... do... you... w-want to come with me?" She squeaked. Erk regarded her for a minute or so, eyes glimmering in thought.

"Can you wait an hour?"

"YES!" Nino shrieked. "Y-yes, I can..." She muttered, blushing.

"Then go to your room, and I'll come get you." Erk told her, turning back to his writing.

"Thank you so MUCH, Erk!" Nino cried, hugging him tightly. "I can't wait!!"

"Ah, but you have to." Erk said, grinning. He half-returned the hug. "Go pretty yourself up."

"I will!" Nino gasped, dashing from the room.

"Too close." Erk murmured after she had gone. "You're getting too close."

--

Nino hummed happily to herself as she looked through her wardrobe for something nice to wear. She was very excited. She called this a 'half-date', since she thought of this as a date, but Erk probably didn't. It'd be different from town, but still nice. To spend some alone time with Erk, just him and her. Laying on that bed, staring at one of the auras that the room could create. She thought it would be incredibly romantic. She sighed happily, imagining Erk laying next to her, smiling softly. He'd roll onto his side, and gently stroke her cheek, his smile widening. He'd move his face closer to hers, and pull her face toward him. She'd close her eyes, waiting...

"Gah!" Nino gasped, snapping out of it. Her imagination had run away again. "Stop it, stop it!" She told herself. "We're not that close yet!" _But soon..._ She promised herself. _Soon, we'll be together. _She smiled. After choosing a pretty, blue flowing dress and appropriate shoes, she sat herself on her bed. She tried to think about what she could say to Erk, to talk about with him. But, for some reason, she coul only think of the competition she had for Erk's affection. Priscilla, she thought, was a strong contender. Erk liked her, and had spent longer with her than he had with Nino. The tactician was a mild challenger; Erk liked her, but he hadn't said in his diary how much. Rebecca was low on the list owing to her spending so much time with Serra. Serra was way of the charts, as Erk didn't even like her, but she was obsessed with him. Serra would obviously try to get in the way at every opportunity. Nino frowned in thought. Priscilla and Serra were the biggest two worries, then. That, and the ghost of Ella. Erk was clearly still very much in love with Ella, and would have a hard time letting go. Nino sighed, and set about getting ready.

--

Erk and Nino lay on the bed in the Aura Room, staring at the ceiling. Erk had activated the red crystal, which generated an aura of a sunset. Nino smiled happily to herself, glad to be laying so close to Erk.

"Nino." Erk said gently, drawing her back to reality. She looked inquisitively at him. "That writing you did. It was impressive, considering the way you usually write."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You really like this room, huh?" He smiled. Nino smiled back.

"Yup." She told him. _But I like it better with you here._ She thought to herself. "I really wanted to come here with you again."

"I knew it'd be good incentive for you." Erk grinned. "It seems that I can actually teach."

"You're a great teacher." Nino assured him. "I can read alot better now, thanks to you. Lady Louise gave me some books to read, and I really liked them. There's this one, it's about two boys from Caelin, and-"

"And they discover some texts written by the first King of Caelin, and tell everyone. Most of the story is about them being accused of falsifying the documents, and them trying to prove that they didn't. It's quite fascinating... what?" Nino was frowning at him, and pouting.

"Is there anything you haven't read?"

"I'm sure there's plenty."

"Have you read the one about the pegasus who was scared of flying?"

"She eventually dived off a cliff to save the rider of her sister." Erk smirked. Nino pouted again. "Sorry. I've read alot of books."

"I noticed." Nino sighed, then snuggled against him. "Still, if I wanna read a book, and don't know if it's any good, I can just ask you. You'll know all about it."

"I might do. I haven't read all the books in the castle, though."

"Really? You must have. You've been here years, and all you do is read."

"Hey, I study, too. And train. And practise. And sometimes I have to travel to other places, too. I haven't been able to read everything."

"In that case, I'm gonna find at least _one_ book that you haven't read." Nino declared.

"If you do, read it to me."

"Wha?" Nino gasped.

"Hey, I wanna see how you're reading's improved."

"Can't you just pick a book out for me to read?"

"Chances are I'll have read it. If it's new to both me and you, I'll be able to see how you handle it."

"I don't get it."

"Lemme explain." Erk said, putting an arm beneath Nino and holding her against him. "If you read a book I've already read, then I'll know what words are coming, and I'll be reading the story in my head. I won't be able to see how you handle certain words. Whereas if it's something new to me, then I'll have to check certain words, so I'll know what kind of words you struggle with, and that'll help me teach you better."

"... I still don't get it."

"Never mind, love." Erk sighed. "Just find a book I haven't read."

" 'kay." Nino sighed, smiling. She knew that Erk hadn't realised that he'd called her 'love', but hearing that had made her happy. She tucked that away in her mind, so she could listen to it again. 'Never mind, love'. Sure, the rest of the sentence wasn't brilliant, but Erk had called her 'love'! Nino giggled to herself, putting an arm over Erk's chest, pressing herself against him. "Heeyyy..." She looked up at him.

"Hmm?"

"If I find a book, could we read it down here?"

"I suppose. Find it, and you can enjoy this room for a day, too."

"Done!" Nino snapped, laughing. "I'll find it for sure, now!"

--

"Lady Louise? Lord Pent?" Nino was knocking on the door to their study the next day. Lord Pent answered.

"Yes, Nino? Can I help you?" He asked.

"Erk's set me a challenge. I need to find a book he hasn't read."

"That's quite a challenge. There's only about six in our entire library that he hasn't read."

"Only six?" Nino moaned. Castle Reglais' library was _**huge**_. "How am I supposed to find those?" She sighed. "Actually, that's why I came. I was wondering if you could help."

"I might be able to." He scratched his chin. "Come on in, dear." He stepped aside, and Nino walked into the room. "See, Erk has a thing about books. If he sees a book he hasn't read, he'll read it there and then." Nino laughed at that. "So, if we ever get some new books, I hold onto them for a little while, until Erk's studied up to where he should be. Then, I'll put a couple on the shelf at a time."

"Do you have any new books now?"

"No. I put the last three on the shelves two weeks ago. Erk took them the very same day. An hour later, in fact."

"Oh..." Nino's heart sank. "Wait, what about the six he hasn't read?"

"They're currently being repaired. One student took them out, and they got damaged."

"Oh, okay. So...when's the next lot coming?"

"In a few weeks." Pent smiled. "But, I can still help you."

"How?"

"Well, Erk only took two of the books. See, I took the third out myself."

"Why?" Nino asked. Pent shrugged.

"I wanted to read it."

"Could I have it?"

"I'm not done with it yet." Pent told her apologetically.

"Awww... but, I need it."

"Part of your 'win over Erk' plan?"

"How'd you know about that?" Nino gasped.

"Louise and I thought you'd do something like this. Lucky guess, really."

"Where is Lady Louise?"

"Gone to town, to try and find a book Erk hasn't read yet."

"Really? What about the one you borrowed?"

"I'm a slower reader than Erk. Much slower. I've seen that boy read an ancient language dictionary in a day. Those are huge." He held his hands apart, showing the size. Judging by the size, Nino figured the book was about as thick as a beer mug was wide. That was thick. "I'll be months with that. And I know you're not gonna wait that long."

"Nuh-uh." Nino shook her head.

"So, just wait for Louise. She'll be back by this evening, one way or another."

"What about the damaged books?"

"They'll take weeks to repair. Even then, we might have to replace them."

"Fine, I'll wait for Lady Louise. Thank you, Lord Pent." She sketched a quick bow, then left his study. Outside, she bumped into a very familiar someone. "Oh, uh, Erk!" She gasped, stepping back. He stood by the door, arms folded across his chest.

"Cheater." He said, grinning. Nino frowned at him, though she smiled a little.

"All's fair in love and war." She told him, before trotting toward her room.

"Love and war?" Erk muttered to himself. "What's _she_ been reading?" He shrugged, and made his way toward the library. Surely they must have something new in by now?

--

"Love and war, dear." Louise said to Pent that evening. "Very little difference between the two."

"I know. I still remember what I had to go through to get you to be my partner." Pent replied, grinning.

"Oh, don't!" Louise gasped, blushing. "Anyway, I found one. New release yesterday." She held up a book.

" 'Finding Sanctuary Two; Our World'. Interesting." Pent flicked through the pages.

"I know Erk's read the first one. He's been after the second ever since. He loved that book."

"This'll help Nino a great deal. If we can convince her to give it to Erk." He smirked. "I'll go-" There was a knock at the door. "That's probably her, actually." He opened the door.

"Hi, Lord Pent!" Nino chirruped. "Is that the book?"

"It most certainly is. Come in, Nino." Nino walked in.

"Evening, Lady Louise."

"Evening, Nino." Louise replied.

"So, what book is it?" Nino asked.

"The sequel to one of Erk's favourites." Pent told her. "He's been after this for a while."

"Awesome!" Nino squeaked. "Can I can I can I can I?" She held her hands out for the book.

"What exactly are you gonna do with it?" Louise asked her.

"Erk told me to find a book he hasn't read yet, and read it to him. He says it'll help him teach me. And, I'll get to read it in the Aura Room, and even spend an afternoon in there!" She 'squeed' to herself. "I'm so happy!"

"Will you let Erk have the book after you're finished with it?"

"Oh!" Nino gasped, inhaling deeply. "That's a great idea! I'll get to complete his challenge, and give him a present! Louise, you're so brilliant! I-I mean... L-lady Louise." Pent handed her the book.

"Take care of it." He said to her. "Oh, and wait a couple of days before you show it to him."

"How come?"

"It'll be too easy if you give it to him only a day after the challenge. He'll suspect."

"Oh. But, he already knows I asked you. He was outside the room."

"Cheeky little-" Pent growled. "Well, still give it a few days."

"Alright." Nino skipped to the door. She pictured in her mind the look on Erk's face when she'd give him the book. It'd be in his room, when she went for a lesson. He'd smile at her in a way he's never smiled before. He'd thank her, and put the book on the bed beside him. Then, he'd cup her face in his hands, and bend down, still smiling. His breath would blow gently on her face, and on her lips, as Erk's own lips drew nearer to hers... "GAH!" Nino exclaimed as she walked into a wall in the corridor. "Stop doing that!" She scolded herself.

"Stop doing what?" Erk's voice asked. "You okay, Nino?" He approached her, looking concerned.

"I'm okay, Erk." She assured him, hiding the book behind her back. "I'm fine."

"What's that you've got?" He asked.

"N-nothing." Nino started backing away.

"C'mon, what is it?"

"Nothing!" Nino gasped, turning to run. However, Erk had already grabbed her. He grabbed the book, and tried to tug it free from her grip. "No! I-I can't give it to you yet!" Her fingers failed her, and Erk examined the book.

"Finding Sanctuary Two: Our World." Erk gasped. "Nino, you bought this for me?"

"Uh...um... y-yes..." Nino sighed.

"Oh, Nino!" Erk smiled at her. Nino realised that she had imagined his smile perfectly. It was unlike any smile she'd ever seen before. "I... I've been wanting this for so long!" He put the book on the bed next to him, and put his hands on her shoulders. "How can I thank you?"

"Uhm... I-I don't know... I..." Nino blushed.

"Hey, I know." Erk grinned, blushing himself. "You like me, right?"

"Wh-what?? Um... y-yeah, I d-do."

"I like you, too. Come here." He pulled her toward him, one hand stroking her face as he smiled gently at her.

"Oh..." Nino moaned, trembling. This was the moment she had been waiting for. She closed her eyes, waiting for the warm touch of Erk's lips pressing against hers. Waiting for Erk's arms to embrace her, and hold her against his body. But the moment never came. Nino felt a sharp pain in her face. She took a moment to register what was happening, then found herself face-to-face with a wall. "What...?" Nino wondered. "DAMMIT!" She screeched. "I've got to get my imagination under control!" She looked around, and saw that she was next to the door for her room. She quickly walked inside. "I should've realised I was dreaming. I mean, a bed in the middle of the corridor?!" She growled, and slammed the book onto her table. She flopped onto her bed, sighing. "Still, I hope it goes something like that when I give him the book..." She closed her eyes dreamily.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Summer Ball

**Chapter 6: Summer Ball**

Nino now knew the perfect moment to show Erk the book. With Castle Reglais' summer ball coming up soon, she figured it would be the perfect gift for the end of the night. She planned to ask Erk to the ball, then show him the book when he (hopefully) walked her to her room. She put the book, which was fairly small, into a handbag that she was going to take to the ball. It matched the dress that Louise had bought for her. Pent had bought a suit for Erk, too. Nino couldn't wait to see it, as both Pent and Louise had said he looked very handsome in it. She imagined various suits on him, each of which made him look amazing. Her impatience to see the suit, and go to the ball, showed in her every day activities, as she failed to concentrate in her lessons, and her mind always wandered during meals.

--

Erk, on the other hand, wasn't bothered in the least by the ball. His lessons continued normally, as did his usual daily routine. He only occasionally wondered how Nino would look, if she went. He planned on going, of course. Erk never missed an opportunity to talk with great magic-users. The only down-side was having to wear a suit. Erk preferred to wear his usual gear. In last years' ball, Erk had enjoyed a rather lengthy conversation with a Shaman from Caledonia, who had very interesting opinions on who should be taught magic, and in what way. Erk hoped to speak with him again, as he had a few ideas to suggest. Neatening the pile of parchment on his desk, Erk wondered who else would be at the ball. Lord Pent and Lady Louise went without saying, as they were the hosts. Erk was going, mainly because he wanted to, but he also had to go, as he was Pents' honour student. This made him a host, too. Glancing out the window, Erk then realised the time.

"No way!" He gasped, leaping to his feet. He was late. Turning quickly on the spot, Erk tripped over his chair, stumbled sideways into his desk, then fell to the door. He opened it, pulled himself up, and dashed to the Grand Hall. He threw open the huge doors, and ran to the centre of the hall. Lord Pent and Lady Louise were waiting, and looked impatient.

"You're late." Pent pointed out.

"Sorry, Sir." Erk gasped, trying to catch his breath. "I didn't realise the time."

"And you're normally so punctual. Especially for our Summer Ball."

"Now, now, Pent." Louise told her husband. "Don't be too hard on him. He's probably been trying to imagine what Nino will be wearing."

"She's going?" Erk asked. A moment later, he realised that he should've said something different, like 'No, I haven't'. Louise giggled.

"See?" She asked Pent.

"I do indeed." Pent grinned. "No worries, Erk. I forgive your lateness." Erk didn't reply. He knew that he had just confirmed Pent and Louises' suspicions; that he liked Nino. Even though he didn't think of her in that way, he had foolishly shown Pent and Louise that he did. "Let's start preparing for it, shall we? Erk, go into storage and fetch the candles. We'll use the second set this year." Those candles had a specific scent, and their flames glowed in a rather romantic fashion.

"The second?" Louise asked. "Pent, what about the first? That would suit this occasion better." Those candles flickered hotly, and seemed to stir passion in others.

"I want to use the fourth set." Erk spoke up. He could tell that Pent and Louise were trying to set an appropriate mood for him and Nino. Again, he had made an error. The fourth set, with their fragrance and deep glow, symbolised growing and strengthening relationships. Pent and Louise stared at him, smiling.

"How perfect." Pent murmured.

"Erk knows how to be romantic." Louise sighed. "I didn't think he had that in him."

"What?" Erk gasped, realising his mistake. "No, I-" He paused. There was no getting out of this.

"Very good, Erk." Pent congratulated him. "Go and get those candles, then. Louise and I will decide on the decor." Erk sighed, and walked out of the Grand Hall. He caught sight of Nino, a ways down the corridor, humming happily to herself. She seemed to be off in a fantasy world again. Not wanting to bother her, or raise another situation that would suggest he harboured feelings for her, Erk quickly slipped out of the castle, and to the storage building. He looked around.

"Candles, candles..." He muttered, looking for them. He saw the six sets of candles for the Summer Ball. All of them had some variety of romantic feel to them, so there was no escaping that. However, Erk realised, the fourth set was indeed perfect for him and Nino getting together. He cursed himself for that. He picked up the box that contained the 'fourth set'. None of the candles sets had a specific name, so they were simply numbered.

-

Upon his return, he saw Pent and Louise looking at drapes to hang around the hall.

"Ah, Erk!" Louise called to him. "Come help us." Erk trotted over, placing the box of candles on the floor. "We were wondering what drapes we should use. You obviously know which ones will help the mood best, considering your sudden knowledge of romance."

"I don't have..." Erk stopped, losing the desire to deny it. He knew it wouldn't help.

"I wanted to go for the drapes by Ilian artist Perina. Pent wants to use the Sacae Bloom set. What d'you think?" The pair held up the appropriate drapes.

_Such mood-setters. _Erk thought, looking at them. _I can't let them go further with this match-making thing. I'm not ready to be with someone yet._ "Neither." He said aloud. Pent frowned, and Louise pouted. Erk cast his eyes around, looking for the box with the drapes in. He pulled a random one out. "Use these." He told them. Pent and Louise gasped. Erk prayed to Elimine that he had chosen an unsuitable type of drape for match-making.

"Erk, you're a genius!" Louise cried. Erk's face fell. He looked at the drapes he had chosen. He didn't know about decorating, so he didn't know what these drapes implied.

"Those are same drapes that were at the ball where Louise and I first got together." Pent told Erk. "They represent the forming of bonds and relationships." Erk groaned. Again, he had inadvertently chosen the most perfect thing for pairing him off with Nino. "Excellent work, Erk." Pent smiled widely, while Louise pulled the drapes from the box. "Now, next we must choose the flowers." Erk sighed. "Bring them in!" Pent called to a door to the far left of the hall. Two people walked in, carrying a table. On top of the table were several flowers. There was only one of each variety of flower, and there were about ten different types.

"These are all the flowers that we've used before." Louise told Erk, after handing the drapes to a servant. "Ooh, the Ilian Rose." She picked it up, sniffing it. "A symbol of companionship." It looked heavily similar to a normal rose, except the outside of the petals were a mild blue, while the inside of the petals were a striking purple.

"Or perhaps," Pent said, picking up another. "The Nabata Crysanthemum. A symbol of caring and tenderness." It was a delicate shade of pink, with a twisting pattern to the petals.

"This." Erk grunted, picking up a flower. It was green, almost matching Nino's hair. Its petals were shaped like teardrops, which fell outwards and toward the ground.

"Erk, next time I have a romantic meal with Louise, you can sort everything out." Pent declared. "You're quite the mood-setter."

"Isn't he, though?" Louise giggled. "Erk, do you know what kind of flower that is?" Erk didn't dare reply. "It's the Tendi Tulip, found only the Bern Mountains."

_Tell me what it means._ Erk thought tiredly.

"It means long-lasting devotion." Erk groaned inwardly. He had accidentally selected the most perfect things to bring people together. Namely, him and Nino. Not what he wanted. "Well done, Erk." She patted him on the head. "We'll use these this year." She said to the people carrying the table. She, Erk and Pent set their flowers down, and the people picked up the table and left.

"Next, we need the music." Pent announced to them. "I was thinking Lycia's latest singers. They specialise in serene music."

"What about that group from Araphen?" Louise asked. "I hear they're good at romantic symphonies." The two looked at Erk. "Obviously, you'll pick the best band. So, who'll it be?"

"Roren Fess, from Ositia." Erk said, plucking a random name he had heard someone mention. "I have no doubt that he'd be perfect."

"Indeed he would, Erk." Pent grinned. "His love ballads are really quite stirring."

_Just my luck to pick someone who sings love songs._ Erk grumbled.

"I've got one more thing to ask about." Erk said cautiously. "One more thing before I run away."

"What's that, dear?" Louise asked.

"The three of us are to welcome the guests, right? As hosts?" Pent and Louise nodded. "You two always greet guests together. How about if Nino and I greeted guests together, too?" Erk had a perfectly logical reason for this. As Pents' honour student, he had to play host. Nino was also technically one of Pents' honour students, so she should do the same thing. Of course, Pent and Louise saw it very different. Louise went into transports of delight at Erk's idea, and Pents' smile widened to previously unknown widths.

_Crap, how'd they see that?_ Erk wondered, panicking.

"Of course you should, Erk!" Louise cried, clasping his hands. "Oh, you are amazing! It must have been hard, welcoming guests by yourself every year! Of course you'd want someone with you this time. The guests would be pleased to see you with someone, too. Isn't it brilliant, Pent?"

"Extremely." Pent agreed. "Erk and Nino, hosts. The perfect symbol of their partnership." He sighed dreamily. "Erk, how do you do it?"

"No idea." Erk sighed. "Guess it's just luck." _All of it bad._ He added to himself. "Well, I'm going to flee now." He said, and did so. Very quickly. _Where's a deep hole when you need one?_ Erk asked himself, wishing he could crawl into one and hide.

--

And so, the big day arrived. Erk waited for Nino outside the castle entrance. Every year, he welcomed the guests to the castle. Pent and Louise then greeted them when they entered the Grand Hall, and told them what food and music there would be, and so forth. He smoothed down the front of his suit. It was mild-looking suit, that seemed to fit him perfectly. It was an almost creamy white colour, with a crisp white shirt and matching shoes. His golden cufflinks were the symbol of Saint Elimine, and he had a Tendi Tulip in the pocket of the jacket.. He had his hair tied back, which he only did for this one occasion. The castle doors opened, drawing Erks' attention. From those doors, a stunning beauty walked toward him. Her brilliant green hair had been tied up, in two tiny little pigtails. Her shimmering emerald dress, which matched her handbag, drew out the shine in her sapphire eyes, and highlighted the elegant features of her face. She wore pretty diamond earrings, an exquisite gold necklace, and serene crimson lipstick. Erk quickly brought himself to his senses, remembering he was supposed to be waiting for Nino. He looked beyond the beauty, but saw no sign of her. It wasn't until the girl stood next to him and smiled, that Erk realised.

"Oh... my... " Erk gaped at the girl.

"Good evening, Erk." She said gently. "You look very handsome."

"I... I..." Erk was speechless. Here stood this radiant and confident-looking beauty, who at any other time was the cute and meek Nino. Somewhere, Pent and Louise were patting each other on the back. "G-good evening." He managed to squawk. Nino giggled, a musical chime that sent shivers down Erks' back.

"How do I look?" She asked him.

_Of all the..._ Erk began to himself, before taking in her breathtaking loveliness again.

"Incredible." He breathed. Nino grinned, blushing slightly.

"Thanks." She said quietly. "But be honest. You don't have to flatter me like that."

"Anything less than 'amazing' is an understatement, Nino." He told her. "I didn't even recognise you at first."

"Is that why you looked behind me?"

"Yeah. I thought you were someone else." He grinned at her. "I didn't realise you could look so... so... beautiful!"

"Thank you, Erk." Nino blushed brighter. "I didn't recognise you at first, either. I've never seen you in a suit. Or with your hair back. It looks really nice."

"Huh." Erk ran a hand over his hair. "Thanks." He looked out to the road. "Here's the first guest. Oh, Gods..." He sighed.

"Who is it?" Nino asked, looking at the horse-drawn carriage approaching.

"Lady Lyndis and Lord Hector." Erk groaned. "Y'know, for all she's a hardened warrior, Lyn's so girly at times. She'll be _delighted_ to see us like this. And Hectors' gonna tease me about it, too."

"It won't be that bad." Nino assured him, as the carriage came to a halt. The driver hopped down from his seat, and opened the carriage door. Lord Hector stepped out, wearing a smart blue outfit that was smart-casual. Just like him. He held a hand up to the door, and a tiny hand took hold of it. Lady Lyndis then stepped from the carriage, in a dazzling white dress. The two approached.

"Good evening Lady Lyndis, Lord Hector." Erk greeted them politely, bowing to them. Nino curtseyed.

"Erk and Nino." Lyndis said softly. "It's wonderful to see you together." She smiled. "I always knew it would happen. I must say you make a gorgeous couple."

"Thank you." Nino smiled.

"And so young, too." Hector added. "Such a shame you've tied yourself down so early, Erk."

"Nino's hardly tying me down, Lord Hector." Erk replied, not liking what Hector had suggested. Hector chuckled.

"You'll see." He grinned.

"Lord Pent and Lady Louise are waiting in the Grand Hall." Erk said, with an odd tone of finality. Lyndis tugged on Hectors' sleeve, pulling him into the castle. A moment later, another carriage appeared.

"Who's this?" Nino asked.

"Lord Eliwood and Lady Ninian." Erk told her. "Ninian will be much like Lyn was. At least Eliwood'll be polite about it." He turned to face the two in question as they approached. Eliwood wore red dress-robes, and Ninian wore a light blue dress. "Lord Eliwood and Lady Ninian, an honour to have you here." He said, bowing. Nino curtseyed to them.

"An honour to be here, Erk." Eliwood told him.

"Are you and Nino together?" Ninian asked.

"Now, Ninian, let's not pry into their affairs." Eliwood cautioned them.

"I'm only curious, my Lord." Ninian defended herself.

"Leave them be for now, Ninian. Even if they are, it's up to them to tell us when they're ready." Eliwood looked back at Erk. "My apologies."

"No apologies necessary, my Lord." Erk assured him. "Lord Pent and Lady Louise are waiting in the Grand Hall."

"Thank you. I hope the ball will be as good as last year."

"I believe it will."

"Erk chose everything." Nino piped up. Ninian looked worried for a moment, before correcting it. Eliwood simply looked at Erk neutrally.

"I am sure Erk chose well." He said, then walked into the castle.

--

A few hours later, Erk and Nino walked back into the castle. After greeting everyone who had come, including Jaffar, to Erks' horror, Erk was ready for a good drink and some food.

"I haven't even seen the Grand Hall yet." Nino admitted. "Lady Louise insisted it be a surprise. I can't wait to see how it looks!" She was obviously excited.

"Perfect, according to Lord Pent and Louise." Erk told her. "I chose everything; flowers, drapes, music, candles. They loved it all."

"Then I'm sure I will, too." Nino said. Erk opened the door to the Grand Hall, and Nino gasped. "Oh, wow!" She cried, her eyes sparkling. "Erk, it looks wonderful!" She clutched his arm. "I can't believe it! You really did all this?"

"I selected the decorations, yes."

"Amazing! It feels so romantic!"

_Maybe he's planning to ask me out?_ She thought to herself. _Why else would he make it so romantic?_

"Shall we?" Erk asked her.

"Yes!" Nino gasped, walking with him into the Summer Ball. They had barely taken three steps inside, when Pent and Louise descended upon them.

"Oh, you two look so wonderful together!" Louise cried, tears forming in her eyes.

"Yes, you make a good couple." Pent said, smiling. He wore a smart lavender robe, while Louise wore a short purple dress and a tiara. "The music will start in an hour or so. I'd love to see you two dance."

"Lord Pent, please." Erk sighed. "I would like to get some food and drink."

"Well, don't let us stop you." Pent stood to one side. "Just make sure you take Nino with you." Erk frowned, but said nothing. He and Nino walked to the buffet table.

"I've never been to a ball before." Nino told Erk as they walked. "What do I do here?"

"Just talk to people. Eat, drink, talk. Maybe dance." Erk replied.

"Oh. Uhm... do you mind if I go talk to Jaffar and Canas?"

"No, go ahead."

"Thank you." Nino smiled, and kissed him lightly on the cheek, before walking over to Jaffar. Erk sighed in relief, glad to be alone. He picked up a plate, chose some food, then looked for the Caledonian shaman he had met last year. Spotting him, Erk quickly walked over to him.

-

"Jaffar." Nino called to him as she approached. Jaffar, dressed in a neat black suit, turned to her, a small smile spreading across his face.

"Nino." He greeted her. "It's good to see you again."

"You, too. How have you been?"

"Good. You?"

"Oh, Jaffar. Can't you say more than that?"

"I'm more concerned about you. Are you happy here? Has Lord Pent been treating you well? Has Erk? Are you learning well?"

"Jaffar, please. Everyone has been wonderful, especially Erk. He's a really good teacher. He's treated me wonderfully."

"Too wonderfully, it seems. Are you sure he's right for you?"

"Jaffar!" Nino gasped. "Yes, I'm sure! How could you ask such a personal question?"

"Sorry, Nino. I just worry. You left with such a short goodbye, and I haven't seen you since."

"Aww... thank you for worrying. I'm fine, really."

"Erk really knows how to set a mood." Jaffar changed the subject, looking around the hall. "I'm surprised. I always thought he was a... well, a stiff." Nino giggled at that.

"He is, sometimes, but he has his moments. He's been nothing but kind and considerate to me."

"Well, I hope he makes you happy. I mean, I still remember so vividly you crying after he upset you."

"That was my fault, too. I was in his face too much, invading his personal space."

"All the same, he had no right to upset you so."

"Please, Jaffar. I got more upset than I should have. He did apologise, and give me a picture book."

"Yes, I know. You like the book?"

"Yes. I still look at it sometimes."

"Let's get something to eat." Jaffar announced, steering her to the buffet table.

-

"I hadn't thought of it that way." The Caledonian shaman murmured. "Very interesting, Erk."

"Thank you." Erk said graciously. "I thought on it alot, and realised that it was a good way of teaching."

"I agree completely. If only more would think the same."

"Yes, if only. It would improve things greatly."

"Erk, why are you not with your lady? Surely such an occasion is best spent with a partner?"

"She is not my partner. Lord Pent and Lady Louise have been trying to pair us off ever since we returned to the castle. However, it is too soon for me."

"You still grieve for Ella? Erk, please.You should move on. Surely Ella would not want you to mourn your entire life."

"I am aware of that. Still, I cannot let her go so easily."

"It has been many years, Erk. I believe it is time."

"I cannot recover that easily." Erk told him, sounding almost angry. "She was all I had for so long."

"You should allow Miss Nino to fill the gap. You will feel happier once you do."

"I shall consider it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I would speak with other guests."

"Of course. Good health, Erk."

"Good health, Takarin." Erk walked away.

-

"Nino, how are you?" Canas asked.

"Well, Uncle. Everyone here has been wonderful to me."

"Good to hear. So, you and Erk."

"I hope." Nino sighed.

"Hope? You mean you are not an item yet?"

"I'm working on it." Nino told him. Canas chuckled.

"How is it going?"

"Well, I think. He's been alot more open than when we first met. You know, he chose the decor for the ball."

"He did? Such a romantic theme. Perhaps he harbours feelings for you?"

"That's what I'm hoping." Nino sighed. "I got a book for him a few days ago."

"Oh? He enjoys reading, as I recall."

"I know. This is the sequel to one of his favourites. 'Finding Sanctuary Two: Our World'. I hope he likes it."

"Finding Sanctuary. An excellent book." Canas noted. "I hadn't realised the second was on sale."

"D'you think Erk'll be glad when I give him it?"

"Of course. If it's a sequel to his favourite, of course he will be." He patted her on the shoulder. "I wish you the best of luck, Nino."

"Thank you, Uncle."

"I mean no discouragement by this, but..." He took a deep breath. "If your plans fail, and you find you can't stand being here any more, you are welcome to stay with me."

"Uncle, I won't fail." Nino said, determination exploding in her voice. "Even if I do, I'll just try again. I _will_ win Erk over." Canas laughed heartily.

"You've changed so much, Nino. I'm proud of you."

-

"Erk?" A voice caused Erk to spin round.

"Priscilla." He said happily. "How are you?"

"Things are well. But, I wanted to talk about you."

"Me? What of me?"

"Well, you and... Nino."

"Not happening."

"Eh?"

"I don't have those sorts of feelings for her. I have said many things that imply I do, but I said them accidentally."

"Oh. Then... you are available for another relationship?"

"I am... not available, as such. I am not in a relationship, nor am I ready to be in one."

"Oh." Priscilla sighed. "Sorry."

"For what?"

"Um... I just hoped... that maybe... you might want to be... with..." She blushed, and looked down at the floor. Her last word came as a whisper. "Me." Erk didn't reply. When Priscilla looked up, Erk was far away, sat on a chair by the wall. She sighed miserably.

-

Roren Fess started singing, and people quickly moved to the dancefloor. Nino immediately looked around for Erk. She saw him, sat by the wall on his own. She trotted across the hall, and over to him. When she was in front of him, Erk looked up glumly.

"Are you okay?" Nino asked.

"Priscilla just asked me out." Erk mumbled. Nino mentally panicked for a moment. Had Erk said yes?

"A-and?"

"I just... walked away. Didn't even reply. I don't know why. I like her, but not that much. And... Ella..."

"Oh, Erk." Nino said next to him, and leant against his arm. She could think of nothing to say.

"I'm just... I'm still not over her death. She was the only person I had for so long. Once I lost her, I became empty."

"Can no-one fill the gap?"

"I don't know." He put an arm around her. "I don't know."

"Erk..." Nino began, then paused, wondering what to say. She placed a hand gently on his knee.

"Yes?"

"I'm not sure what to say." He confessed. Erk held her hand in one of his own. "I want you to be happy, but I'm not sure how to make that happen. I was hoping that I might be able to fill the gap."

"You?" Erk asked. He then realised. Why Pent and Louise had been so adamant about pairing them off, why they had chosen such a theme for the ball. Why Nino spent as much time with him as possible. Why she tried so hard, why she was so eager for his approval. He gripped her hand tightly.

"Yeah..." Nino whispered. "I've been thinking for a long time. Thinking about how to... win you over." She sighed. "I don't know. I was just... so desperate to have you."

"I see." Erk said, his tone unreadable. "Takarin was right."

"Huh?"

"I've spent so long trying to close the gap left by Ella's death. I didn't know it would be so hard." He pulled his arm from around Nino, and stood up. Nino looked apprehensively at him. Erk stood in silence for a few moments, watching Roren Fess. A minute or so later, he finished his song. He watched as Louise trotted over to Roren, and whispered in his ear. He nodded, and started singing a slow, tender love song. One of Erk's favourite songs. Erk sighed, and turned to face Nino. He held his hand to her, and smiled gently. "May I have this dance?" Nino's face lit up.

"Yes!" She gasped, taking his hand. She and Erk walked to the dance floor. Louise and Pent smiled, watching the pair as they started a slow dance. Then, the two danced themselves.

--

"Erk..." Nino said when they stopped outside her bedroom door.

"Yes?" Erk asked, still holding her hand.

"I have... a gift for you." She opened her handbag, and reached inside. For a moment, she almost didn't dare pull out the book. How would Erk react? Was this a bad time to give him the book? Swallowing her fear, Nino removed Finding Sanctuary Two from her bag, and held it to Erk. "Here."

"What's this?" Erk asked, taking the book. His eyes widened when he saw the title.

"You told me to find you a book you hadn't read yet." Nino told him. "I found one."

"I... I..." Erk stared at the book, shock evident on his face. "How did you know?"

"I cheated." Nino said, grinning a little. Erk sighed, and gave her a sidelong look.

"All's fair in love and war." He said, smiling. "Thank you, Nino. I've been waiting for this."

"I know." Nino replied, shaking. How would Erk thank her?

"Here." Erk pulled a bracelet from his suit pocket. It was the bracelet needed to get into the Aura Room. "Don't forget that you have to read it to me." He slipped the bracelet onto her wrist.

"Oh. I won't."

"You should take this, too." He held the book to her.

"But! That's for you! It's your present!"

"Remember what I said? If I've read it, I won't be able to tell how your reading's improved. So, keep it for now, to make sure I don't read it." He pressed the book into her hands. "See you tomorrow, Nino." He kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Goodnight." He walked away toward his room. Nino touched her forehead where Erk had kissed her, and blushed. She walked into her bedroom, changed into her nightgown, and laid down on her bed.

"He kissed me!" She said happily to herself. "On the forehead, sure, but still! And he looked so happy!" She giggled, remembering the look on his face. Nino smiled widely, glad that she was getting closer to winning Erk over. He had asked for her to dance with him. Nino could still feel his body, holding her against him as they danced slowly. Then, of course, he had walked her to her room, and told her how happy he had been tonight. She was almost there. Erk had kissed her, so he must be beginning to like her! She was getting there. She was starting to win Erks' heart. Tonight had brought the two of them closer.

_One step closer._ She told herself.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Eyes of Rippling Water**

Nino and Erk sat on the bed in the Aura Room. Erk sat at the end of the bed, back against the wall. Nino sat in front of him, leaning against his chest. Today, Erk had used the yellow crystal, generating an aura of a candle-lit room. Nino was reading Finding Sanctuary Two to Erk.

"Must it be so? Jenna asked Veil, her voice..." She paused to examine the word. "K-why? Kwih... kwiver... um..."

"Go on, you're getting it." Erk encouraged her.

"Kwiver... quivering. Right?" She looked up at him.

"That's right."

"Her voice quivering. She looked at him, shaking. Veil simply nodded. But why? It's not fair. Veil smiled gently at her, and placed a hand on her cheek. He looked dir-eck... dire... directly into her eyes. We have no choice, my love. He told her gently. I wish it were not so, but it is. Don't worry, I will come back to you." Nino gasped. "He's leaving her?! No, he can't do that!"

"Read on." Erk said, sounding eager. "I wanna know how Jenna handles this."

"Right. Let's see... But... why leave at all? Jenna sobbed, tears falling. I will explain when we meet again. Veil assured her. He kissed her then, holding her close against his body. Jenna wrapped her arms around him, not wanting to release her darling. A short while later, Veil pushed her away from him. Farewell, my love. He said sadly, then dashed away. Awww!" Nino moaned. Erk lifted a hand to her face, and wiped away a tear that was forming. "That's so sad!" She sniffed. "Poor Jenna!"

"Awful." Erk sighed. "I wonder if they'll see each other again?"

"They have to! It wouldn't be fair if they're seperated all their life!"

"I think that'll do for now." Erk said, pulling the book from Nino's hands.

"Nooo!" Nino cried. "We can't leave it at that! I wanna know what happens next!"

"Then, we'll have to wait." Erk told her, inserting a bookmark to keep the page they were on. "I don't wanna wait either, but we have a writing lesson for you next. Then, I've got lessons with Lord Pent." He pulled her head back, and gazed into her eyes. "This evening, when the lessons are over, we'll come back, okay? Read the rest of the chapter."

"Okay." Nino smiled, looking into Erks' eyes. They seemed so much more gentle now.

_The thing I like most right now..._ Nino thought to herself. _Is the way we're sitting. Erk would never have sat like this with me before._

"What're you thinking?" Erk asked, stroking Nino's hair.

"Not much." Nino replied. "Just this, right now." Erk smiled.

"Don't you like it?"

"I do!" Nino gasped. "I really do."

"That's good." Erk patted her cheeks. "Anyway, we'd better get going." He put the book on the table, which he had put next to the bed. He then pushed gently at Nino's shoulders until she got off the bed. Erk stood up a short moment later, and stretched, groaning. "You're getting alot better at reading." He told her.

"Really?"

"Yeah. You read that really well." He pulled her into a one-armed hug. "I'm proud of you." Nino smiled to herself.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Erk said softly, kissing her on the forehead. He suddenly released and stepped away. "C'mon, we better get back. I only have about an hour before my lesson."

--

Nino's writing lesson involved writing what she thought would happen next in the book. Nino liked it, as it used imagination as well as improving her skills. Erk enjoyed reading what her ideas were. Some of them were quite imaginative. Erk suggested that she write her own story, when she was better at writing and reading. Nino liked that idea. She then started writing down ideas for her own stories. At the end of the lesson, Erk went to his lesson with Lord Pent, telling Nino she could wait in his room if she wanted. She did so, and laid down on his bed, thinking. Her thoughts mostly involved what the next step would be. Erk already knew how she felt about him, and they were closer now. But, she had yet to _actually_ ask him out, ask to be his girlfriend. That was what she wanted. However, she was afraid of asking. Erk might not be ready to be that close yet. He might push her away if she asked too soon. Now that she was so much closer to winning Erk's heart, her fear was building. To be so close, only to fail, was a scary thought. She knew that failure at this point would destroy her completely. She shuddered, then forced her mind to think of other things. Unfortunately, all the 'other things' involved Erk, and she found herself thinking of the fatal moment over and over again.

"Stop it." She scolded herself. "It'll work. It'll work." She sat up, and looked over to a cupboard. The one that had Erk's diary. Nino fought with herself for a moment, then went over to the cupboard and pulled the diary out. She sat on the end of the bed, and flipped through to the latest entries.

-

Today I dug myself a rather deep grave. I was asked, as usual, to help Lord Pent and Lady Louise to pick out the decorations for the Summer Ball. I chose the most perfect things for bringing me and Nino together. Not what I wanted. I mean, I don't oppose the idea completely, but I'm still not over Ella. Then, to make matters worse, I asked if she could welcome the guests with me. I had a good, logical reason for this, but Pent and Louise saw it differently. Well, I'm going to try my new suit on now. I'll write more tomorrow, if I haven't killed myself.

Erk

-

Last night was interesting. I finally told Takarin my ideas for teaching. I had a pretty good time at the ball, too. Priscilla confessed her feelings to me, too. That was scary. I honestly had no idea how to reply, so I just walked away from her. I feel awful about it now. At least I apologised to her before she left.

But, enough about that. I need to write about Nino.

-

Nino gasped, and felt excitement building. What would Erk write? Nino read on.

-

She looked SO fabulous. I didn't even recognise her at first. I didn't know she could look so beautiful, especially considering her overpowering cuteness. Lady Louise must be a genius. Well, I'll leave out everything else that happened in the ball.

Nino confessed to me. She didn't actually say the words, but even I could tell what she meant. I'm still not sure how to react. Well, we danced, which was very nice. She seems to have improved since the time we snook into a dance hall in town. Maybe she's been practising. At the end of the night, I walked her to her room. It's a gentlemanly thing to do. Then, she gave me a book. One I hadn't read yet, as she promised. Brilliantly, it's the sequel to my favourite of all favourite books, Finding Sanctuary. Well done, Nino. Give yourself a pat on the head.

-

Nino did.

-

To my surprise, I ended up kissing her. Only on the forehead, but still. Maybe I'm starting to like her more? Who knows? Well, that's enough for now. Tomorrow, me and Nino are going to read some of Finding Sanctuary 2. I can't wait. We're going to the Aura Room, which is a brilliant place, as I've said about five billion times before.

Erk.

PS - Don't forget to take Nino to town next chance you get, Erk. If nothing else, we need to look for that hat again.

-

Nino gasped. Erk was going to take her to town again? As in a date? She smiled widely, looking forward to it. She blushed at Erk's comment on her dancing. Indeed, she had been practising.

"And he likes me _more_ now!" She giggled to herself, hugging the diary. "Wow!" She heard footsteps outside, and quickly put the diary back in the cupboard. A moment later, Erk walked in.

"Get up, Nino." He said to her. "Let's get going."

"Going where?"

"Aura Room, remember?" He replied. Nino gasped, and leapt to her feet. The pair walked toward the Aura Room. When they stood outside the room, Erk turned to Nino. "Did you give yourself that pat?" He asked.

"Wh-what?"

"In my diary, I told you to give yourself a pat on the head. Did you?"

"Wh...wha... h-how did you-?" Nino found herself shaking.

"I found out after our first visit to the Aura Room."

"How??"

"Despite the mess my cupboards' in, I know perfectly where everything is. My diary wasn't in the place I'd left it."

"Oh, no! I'm so sorry, Erk!"

"Relax, it's okay." He pushed the brick that let them into the room. "I don't mind." He walked over to the dark blue crystal, and touched it. The ceiling and walls suddenly looked as though water was reflecting off them. "This is my favourite one." Erk told Nino, laying down on the bed. "C'mon over here, Nino. And shut the door behind you." Nino obeyed, and laid down next to him.

"I'm really sorry about-"

"I said it's okay. Read it all you like. It's not like it's got all my deepest, darkest secrets. Just stuff I'm thinking about at the time. I've got a different diary for my secrets."

"Really?"

"No." Erk grinned. "My secrets are all locked away in my mind."

"Are we going to read some more?" Nino asked, looking over to the table beside the bed.

"Not yet." Erk replied, pulling her closer to him. "I wanna relax a little. My lesson was a little tiring."

"Alright." Nino snuggled against him. "So, when're we going to town again?"

"Next chance I get. You should know that."

"Yeah, but when's the next chance?"

"I'll know when it gets here. I think I've a free weekend next week. Wanna go then?"

"Sure. I'm free, too."

"What an amazing coincidence, that probably has nothing to do with Lord Pent and Lady Louise." Erk said sarcastically. "Those two have been doing everything they can to get us together."

"Well, I've asked them, sometimes."

"I'm sure you have. I must say, they're doing a surprisingly good job."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Despite my resistances, I've been feeling closer to you." He smiled, and hugged her. "It's almost annoying."

"Almost?" Nino felt excitement building. Erk felt closer to her! He was starting to like her!

"Yeah. I don't really mind it, feeling this close. But, I tried not to, and failed. That's the annoying part." Erk said, chuckling. Nino chuckled, too.

"You really don't like failing, do you?" Nino asked. Erk shook his head.

"Isn't this aura nice, though?" He asked, changing the subject. Nino let him.

"It is."

"It's my favourite. Did I already say that?"

"Just before you touched the crystal."

"Oh. Well, it's still my favourite."

"I guessed that."

"C'mon, it's awesome, isn't it? It calms me down the most. More than the other auras."

"Same here." Nino smiled. "It's really relaxing, and soothing. Why didn't you show me this one first?"

"I was going to go through them in order of how good they are. Well, in my opinion. But today, I really wanted this aura."

"Oh, I see."

"And, I'm really glad you're here, so I can share it."

"You are?" Nino felt the excitement grow. Erk wanted to share this aura with her, and not just show it to her.

"Yeah. I think this aura is best for two people. Don't you think?" He turned his head to look at her.

"I... guess so." Nino looked up at the ceiling, watching the reflected water ripple. She stared for a while, then realised that Erk was staring at her. "Something wrong, Erk?" She asked.

"No." He replied. "I was actually watching the rippling water effect in your eyes. It's pretty."

"Really?" Nino found herself blushing a slight. Erk simply nodded, still staring into her eyes.

"You know, there's something about that light-ish blue shining in your sapphire eyes. It's incredible."

"Thanks." Nino blushed brighter.

"It really is..." Erk mumbled, moving closer. "Incredible."

"Erk...?" Nino felt her heart pounding. Erk moved closer still, his face less then two inches from hers. "A-are you..." Erk didn't listen or respond, still staring into her eyes. Soon, he was within an inch, still staring.

"Hypnotic." Erk breathed. "So... alluring. I can't... stop staring." With a gasp, Erk shook his head and turned away. Nino stared at him for a while, wondering if he had been about to kiss her. She wished with all her might that he had. She got off the bed, and walked around it to the table that housed Finding Sanctuary Two. She picked it up, and showed it to Erk.

"Shall... shall we read some more?" She asked timidly.

"Later." Erk said, standing up and walking over to a corner. "Just... give me time to calm down."

-

A long time later, the pair sat on the bed, reading Finding Sanctuary Two.

"He left this for you, the hotel manager said. Your are Jenna, correct? Yes, Jenna replied, eager to take the note. The hotel manager handed it to her, and Jenna ripped it open." Nino turned the page. "Wonder what it says?" She asked Erk. Erk didn't respond. "Erky?"

"Hm? Sorry, I thought you were still reading." Erk replied. Nino looked, and saw that the next line was 'Wonder what it says?', spoken by Jenna. Nino chuckled at that. "Anyway, I don't know. Read some more, quick."

"Wonder what it says? Jenna wondered, unfolding the paper. She read the letter. Dearest Jenna. I hope this letter finds you well. I also hope that this letter finds you some distance behind me. Why did you have to follow me, Jenna? I need you to stay home, and wait. I said I would explain when I returned. Please, Jenna, stop following me and go home. It was signed by Veil." Nino snorted at that. "As if she will. She'll follow him to all the corners of the planet. Right?"

"She sure will."

"Anyway... How dare he, Jenna screeched, crushing the letter into a ball. He should know better than that. Damn right, Jenna. Jenna turned on her heel and stormed out of the hotel. She guessed that Veil would have gone to a nearby shop to buy more food, so she decided to ask if they knew where he had gone. When Jenna arrived at the most likely shop, she walked inside and spoke to the man at the counter. She described Veil to him, and asked if he had been in the shop. The man stared at her and shrugged. Are you Jenna? He asked. Why, yes, I am. Jenna replied, surprised. But how did you know? The man you described came here earlier. Do you know where he went? Jenna gasped, gripping the counter. Yes, but he asked me not to tell you. The man said sadly. I'm not sure why, but he was quite insistent. He paid me double the price to buy my silence. That's not fair. Jenna shrieked. I have have to find him."

"Have have?" Erk asked.

"That's what it says." Nino pointed. "What does it mean when it says have twice?"

"It means someone made a mistake."

"Jenna made a mistake?"

"No, no, the author did. Or the editor, or publisher. Have have doesn't mean anything. It's a grammatical error. I'm surprised I didn't notice."

"Oh."

"Anyway, read on."

--

"Erk said he was going to use the dark blue crystal today." Pent told Louise in their room.

"Oh? The watery one, right?"

"That's right."

"Doesn't that one make Erk sentimental and clingy?"

"It does indeed."

"Think Nino might finally ask him out in there? Or will Erk do the asking? It's not impossible. After all, the water-ripple aura is the most romantic setting anyone could hope for. It seems to bring people together almost instantly." Louise grinned.

"There's no danger of Erk asking her out." Pent chuckled. "Unless he stares at the ripple effect reflecting in Nino's eyes. That might be a bit much for him."

"Oh, isn't that brilliant?" Louise gasped. "That looks so fantastic. It seems to make people a hundred times more attractive and desirable."

"It does, dear. If poor Erk stares into Nino's eyes while the aura's on, he'll probably be all over her."

"That sounds cute, but Erk'll probably mess something up. He's never been good at talking to other people, so asking one out must be near impossible for him."

"We'll see how things went when they come back." Pent smiled. "I've no doubt that Nino will ask him, eventually, while they're in there. And I've every doubt that Erk will refuse. He's too much of a gentleman, for one thing. He'd hate to see her crushed. Besides, he likes her, too. It's been obvious ever since he brought Nino back with him."

"I hope for Nino's sake that you're right. Goodness knows the girl deserves to be happy, after what she went through."

--

Nino had finally managed to read the rest of the chapter. She had wanted to read more, but Erk refused. It was now late, and both he and Nino were tired. He insisted that they go to their rooms to sleep.

"Why not sleep here?" Nino asked. She hoped that if they did, she would eventually get the courage to finally ask Erk out.

"Please, Nino." Erk sighed. "We've got lessons tomorrow, and I've got to be up at the crack of dawn. I can't tell how late or early it is down here, so I'll probably be late."

"Fine..." Nino groaned.

"C'mon, up." Erk pushed forward, making Nino stand up. Nino watched Erk as he stood up and stretch, yawning mutely.

_Ask him._ She told herself. _Quick, before you lose the nerve. _Erk strolled over to the red orb.

"Um, Erk...?" She began tentatively.

"Hm?" Erk asked, touching the orb. Instantly, the water-ripple effect disappeared, as did Nino's courage.

"N-never mind." She said, looking down to the floor. She cursed herself for her lack of confidence. Erk eyed her for a moment, then shrugged.

"Alright, let's go, then." He walked over to the wall, pushed the appropriate brick, and stepped outside. "C'mon, Nino." He called, conjuring a ball of fire. Nino sighed, and walked to him. "When we come here tomorrow, shall we put the water-ripple aura on again?" He asked as they walked back to the main area of the castle.

"Sure." Nino replied, feeling a little better. She thought she might get the courage to ask Erk out if they had the same aura again. Erk patted her on the back, gave her a quick hug, then walked toward his room. Nino walked toward Pents' study.

-

Nino knocked quietly on the door of Pents' study. So quietly, in fact, that no-one answered until she knocked again a little louder. Lord Pent opened the door, a small smile on his face. This dropped instantly at the sight of Ninos' miserable face.

"What's wrong?" He asked. Nino shook her head, suddenly forgetting what she wanted to say. "Erk didn't refuse, did he?" Nino shook her head again. "Oh... come in, Nino. Louise is here, if you'd rather talk to her." He stepped to one side, allowing Nino into his study. Nino walked in, and saw Louise, looking somewhat anxious, sat at a table.

"Everything alright, dear?" She asked.

"I'll leave you ladies to it. I think I'll go have a word with Erk." Pent left the room, rather quickly. The door shut, and Ninos' mouth opened.

"I didn't ask." She said quietly. "I almost did... I was so close. Then... Erky turned aura off, and I just lost my courage. I'm... I was too scared to ask. What if he said no?"

"Oh, Nino." Louise sighed sadly. "I understand you being worried, but there's really no reason. Erk wouldn't say no. He likes you, too. I'm surprised he didn't ask you."

"What makes you say that?"

"The aura that you used makes Erk clingy and sentimental. He told Pent that he was going to use it. Maybe he planned to ask you out?"

"Really?" Nino felt her mood brighten a little.

"Maybe. He doesn't usually use that aura. It reminds him of Ella. But, since he used it with you, he might have wanted to... ask you."

"Maybe." Nino agreed. "He did put his face really close to mine." She blushed as she remembered. "He kept saying how beautiful my eyes were. Because the aura was reflecting in them. Then he kinda... gasped, looked freaked out, or upset, or something, and turned away. He asked me to leave him alone so he could calm down. Eventually, we just read the book again."

"Wow. Erk's getting more confident around you. Don't be afraid to ask him out, Nino. He won't say no. He really likes you, I can tell. I knew he liked you ever since he brought you home."

"Ever... that long?"

"Yup. He wouldn't have asked us to let you stay if he didn't like you. He _does_ have friends beyond Etruria, but he's never asked if any of them can come here. He visits them every so often. But _you_... he almost begged Pent to let you stay." Louise stopped, and stared at Nino. The girls' face was growing steadily redder.

"Wow..." Nino breathed, not believing what she was hearing.

--

"Erk, open up." Lord Pent said as he knocked on Erks' door. The door opened almost instantly.

"Lord Pent." Erk greeted him. "Is something wrong?"

"Yeah. Let me in." Erk stared at him, confused, but granted him access. As soon as Erk shut the door, Pent grabbed him by the shoulders. "What on Elibe were you thinking, boy?"

"E-excuse me, Sir?"

"Using that aura, when you didn't plan to ask Nino out. You know how it makes people. She was going to ask you, you know!"

"I know. But, she didn't. Obviously she isn't that bothered about me, if sh-"

"IDIOT!" Pent snapped, pushing Erk back. "She's afraid you'll turn her away. Erk, you should know how much she cares about you. Isn't that why you used the water-ripple aura? To give her courage? Or give you courage to ask her? So, why didn't..." Pent sighed, running a hand down his face. "What happened, Erk?"

"I think Nino was about to ask me, just before I turned the aura off."

"So, why did you turn it off? You should know tha-"

"I _know_, Lord Pent. She asked me when my hand was, like, a millimetre away from the orb. I couldn't move my hand away in time."

"...fine, fine." Pent sighed again, playing with his long ponytail. "But, the question is, what do you plan to do about it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Nino is quite upset that her courage failed her. She's worried you'll say no if she asks you. What're you going to do about it?"

"When's my next free day?"

"Tomorrow, if you're planning what I think you're planning." Pent grinned.

"And when is N-"

"Tomorrow, if you're planning what I think you're planning." His grin widened. Erk grinned back.

"Lord Pent, I plan to take Nino on a date tomorrow." Erk said. He seemed a little nervous about the idea. Pent chuckled. This boy, who once upon a time couldn't talk to girls without saying or doing something to upset them, now had he confidence to ask one on a date. How he had grown.

"Then, I'll grant both you and Nino a free day tomorrow. But first, you'll need to plan the date. I think Louise would be a better person to plan it with, though. Since she's a woman, and I'm not." Erk nodded at this, walking over to his desk.

"I don't think I'd dare ask her to her face." Erk mumbled, picking up his quill and some parchment. He started to write quickly. "So, I'm going to have to ask you to give this to her." He folded the parchment, put it inside an envelope, which already had Ninos' name on it.

"Erk..." Pent frowned. "You've been thinking about sending her a love letter, haven't you?"

"Yeah..." Erk admitted, somewhat sheepishly. "But, I'm not sure what they should have in. I'd go by the books that Louise has, but..."

"Smutty garbage." Pent nodded. "I understand. You should send her a poem."

"Poem?" Erk stared at Pent, a bead of sweat appearing on his forehead.

"Yeah. Nino'd love it, trust me. She's an innocent, and it'd mean the world to her. No matter how bad it is." Pent knew of Erks' lack of poetic talent. "But first, plan your date." He took the letter from Erk, and walked out of the door. "I'll go fetch Louise." He said as he walked down the corridor. Erk closed the door after him, then sat down on his bed. A poem? Erk groaned, hanging his head miserably. Erk knew that his poetry was so bad that even Nino would hate it. He shook his head, trying to force himself to think of the date first, but the poem hovered around in front of his mind, refusing to be forgotten.

"Erk, I'm so proud!" A voice squeaked from the door. Erk looked up to see Louise peering from behind it. She then knocked and entered. "Asking Nino on a date! My little Erky, all grown up!" She hugged him tightly as he stood. "I'm so proud of you!"

"Y-yeah..." Erk groaned; Louise's arms were crushing his ribs. "I got that."

"So." Louise snapped, releasing him. "Let's get this date planned." Her smile was bigger than Erk had ever seen. "First, when are you going?"

"Tomorrow."

"Alright." She sat down at his desk, giggling when she saw the pre-addressed envelopes. "So, I assume you're going to town?" Erk nodded. "Well, there's plenty to do there. First, you have to go to the theatre. Take her to see a show. That's nice and romantic. I'll get you a decent seat." She hopped out the room, returning five minutes later. "So, I've sent someone to get the tickets for you. You'll probably arrive some time before the show, which is what you should do, so you should take her for a meal while you're waiting for the show to begin." She left again, and came back eight minutes later. "Okay, I've sent someone to reserve a seat at a decent restaurant for you. Now, after the show you should..." She thought for a moment. "Is there anything big going on in town tomorrow?"

"No, there's nothing going on until the carnival next week."

"Ah! Perfect!" Louise gasped.

"No, Lady Louise. It's not until-"

"They have demonstration shows all over town for a full week before the actual carnival arrives, Erk. Go take Nino to one of those. Something... is there an animal show this year?"

"I wouldn't know. I always go straight to the magic show."

"Yes, you do. Hold on, I'll go find out." She left the room again. Erk sighed. Were dates always this big a deal? Did he really have to do so much? Louise walked back in. "I've managed to find a leaflet for the preview shows." She announced handing it to him. "So, you can ask Nino what she wants to see. I'll make sure your ride waits all day for you, so you can take as much time as you like."

"Right." Erk nodded. "So, we're going to the theatre, then-"

"No, meal first. Meal, theatre, carnival preview show."

"Got it." Erk said, securing this in his mind. "When will the tickets and reservations get here?"

"Sometime tonight, or early tomorrow morning. I told them to come back as soon as they got them, regardless of the time. You're going to have to take her shopping, too." Louise continued to make multiple suggestions as to what Erk and Nino could do on their date.


End file.
